Mascoutah, IL…State Representative Kevin Schmidt visited Mascoutah on September 18th to commemorate the grand opening of the Mascoutah Public Library’s state-of-the-art Design Lab. This transformative addition to the library’s offerings was made possible through generous funding from the Project Next Generation Grant, an award granted by the Illinois State Library.
Rep. Schmidt expressed his enthusiasm for this innovative addition to the community: “I believe the Design Lab will provide invaluable opportunities for our community, where both youth and adults can bring their creative visions to life. The possibilities are limitless. This is a remarkable asset for our community. Libraries must expand their horizons beyond books, offering resources like this that individuals may not have access to at home.”
The new Design Lab at the Mascoutah Public Library is poised to inspire innovation and creativity among library patrons. Among its impressive array of tools, the lab boasts a Makerbot Sketch 3D Printer, a dedicated computer station, an iPad Pro paired with an Apple Pencil, an Eco Tank 8550 photo printer, a Cricut Maker 3, and a Cricut Easy Press heat press. These cutting-edge resources empower library visitors’ creativity, enabling them to produce custom t-shirt prints, high-quality photo prints, and an array of three-dimensional creations, utilizing 3D models crafted by fellow library enthusiasts.
The Design Lab operates on a reservation system, much like the library’s popular study rooms, ensuring equitable access for all. It is divided into two distinct stations: the iPad station and the computer station. Each station can comfortably accommodate groups of up to four patrons, fostering collaborative projects and shared learning experiences within an inviting community setting.
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