D.C. Library Adds 3D Printer for Patrons

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By Bonnie Wertheim2013-08-07 15:56:21 UTC

With the growing popularity of tablets, many see little incentive to step into a library to browse the stacks for new reading material. But patrons of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. may have a new reason to visit: to use its 3D printer.

The library has been building its Digital Commons, which it opened to the public on July 17, since it received a $3.4 million grant to modernize the library and improve its patron satisfaction. While the 3D printer is its most recent addition, the Digital Commons also includes tech amenities such as a Skype station and an Espresso Book Machine that allows patrons to self-publish quickly and efficiently.

See also: UPS Offers 3D Printing in Stores

In order to create a 3D-printed object in the Digital Commons, a patron can pay a $1 base fee and an additional $.05 per gram based on the weight of the item she wants to print.

To ensure that visitors benefit from Digital Commons' devices, the library is also hosting several weekly 3D printing tutorials.

“They’re learning math skills, engineering skills, hard science skills. This is future job experience,” Nicholas Kerelchuck, the manager of the Digital Commons, told The Washington Post .

If the addition of a Digital Commons boosts library use and increases knowledge about technology, it might be a development worth exploring for libraries across the country.

Do you think this is a worthy investment for libraries? Watch the video above and then share your thoughts in the comments.

Image: Elvert Barnes/Flickr

Topics: 3d printer, 3D printing, Gadgets, libraries, Tech, Work & Play