The IDEA Lab provides the community with a space that promotes Innovation, Design, Engineering, and Art to support its mission of educational, recreational and cultural experiences for families and individuals. We encourage patrons to learn new skill sets and technologies in this space at their own pace independently or as part of a community of Makers.
We offer a variety of equipment and materials, including 3D printers and pens, Cricut machines, laser cutters, sewing and embroidery machines, vocal booths, button makers, a digital conversion station, a laminator, and low-tech equipment such as bookbinding kits and jewelry making supplies.
The IDEA Lab is located on the first floor of the Main Library.
Prices
| 3D Printer Filament |
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| 3D Pen Filament |
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| Sewing & Embroidery |
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| Laminator |
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| Glowforge |
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| Cricut |
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| VCR to DVD |
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| Button Maker |
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For all other pieces of equipment, please bring your own materials to have approved by IDEA Lab staff.
Click the link below to fill out the agreement form
Click the link below to fill out the 3D Request Form
We now offer board games for in-house use.
• Check out the games we offer in this catalog! (PDF)
• These games are only available for use within the library during IDEA Lab/Teen Zone hours. They are not available for checkout.
• Games can be reserved under the IDEA Lab branch of the Public Meeting Rooms. The listings are general, so just scroll down and pick Board Game for board games or Card Game for card games!
• Patrons must have a current library card and will have to sign a checkout sheet.
• If pieces are missing upon return, the patron can be charged for the full price of the game.
The IDEA Lab's Sewing 101 series is back! Bernadette will teach basic sewing skills, applique and adding basic stitches to create decorative detail.
Disclaimer(s)
Registration Required
Registration for this program is required due to limited space and materials. If you cannot attend, please call the library to cancel your registration so the spot may open up to others. A registration will be cancelled and a program spot made available to other patrons if the registrant does not arrive within 10 minutes of the scheduled program time.
Stop by the IDEA Lab for our Hour of Code! Explore the Hour of Code website for a beginner's introduction to coding, including games, apps, and even artificial intelligence!
Disclaimer(s)
Registration Required
Registration for this program is required due to limited space and materials. If you cannot attend, please call the library to cancel your registration so the spot may open up to others. A registration will be cancelled and a program spot made available to other patrons if the registrant does not arrive within 10 minutes of the scheduled program time.
Stop by our Holiday Open House before the Charleston Christmas Parade to make your own relief-printed holiday cards with your family! And make sure to check out our other Holiday Open House events
The IDEA Lab's Sewing 101 series is back! Bernadette will teach basic sewing skills, applique and adding basic stitches to create decorative detail.
Disclaimer(s)
Registration Required
Registration for this program is required due to limited space and materials. If you cannot attend, please call the library to cancel your registration so the spot may open up to others. A registration will be cancelled and a program spot made available to other patrons if the registrant does not arrive within 10 minutes of the scheduled program time.
Learn how to use our Glowforge Design software and become familiar with the machine itself while making a personalized winter decor for your home -- or as a gift!
Disclaimer(s)
Registration Required
Registration for this program is required due to limited space and materials. If you cannot attend, please call the library to cancel your registration so the spot may open up to others. A registration will be cancelled and a program spot made available to other patrons if the registrant does not arrive within 10 minutes of the scheduled program time.
Inclement Weather
All programs are subject to rescheduling or cancellation in the event of inclement weather.
Looking for a last-minute gift or a personalized ornament? Drop in to create something cool with our 3D pens! We'll provide some winter-themed templates for you to choose from -- or you can use your creativity to come up with something unique!
Disclaimer(s)
Inclement Weather
All programs are subject to rescheduling or cancellation in the event of inclement weather.
Stop by the IDEA Lab and create something cool with our building blocks! Think your creation is the coolest? Leave your name, age, and email for a chance to win a 3D-printed prize!
Disclaimer(s)
Inclement Weather
All programs are subject to rescheduling or cancellation in the event of inclement weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
All you need is a library card in good standing, a sign IDEA Lab agreement form, a little bit of training and a whole lot of enthusiasm!
Training is required for the 3D printers, Cricut, Glowforge laser cutter, Wazer water cutter, sewing & embroidery machines, and the vocal booths.
Online training is available through Niche Academy -- just bring in your certificate! Programs will also double as training for anyone who wants to experience hands-on learning.
| 3D Printer Filament |
|
| 3D Pen Filament |
|
| Sewing & Embroidery |
|
| Laminator |
|
| Glowforge |
|
| Cricut |
|
| VCR to DVD |
|
| Button Maker |
|
Reservations can be made here.
You must have a library card in good standing, a signed agreement form, and equipment training (when necessary).
Reservations can be made in four hour increments or on a first-come-first-served basis. There is a fifteen minute grace period for reservations; after fifteen minutes, your reservation will be canceled.
Library programs and events take priority. As such, reservations will not be allowed during those times.
We have five 3D printers available in the IDEA Lab.
The Creality printers are very beginner friendly with a larger print bed.
The Flashforge is also very beginner friendly and features a touch screen that shows you an image of what is being printed. It is also an enclosed printer, meaning it is great for children.
The Flsun is a taller printer, making it great for prints such as vases or busts.
The Mooz 2 is best for small prints, while the Mooz 3 is great because it allows you to use up to 3 colors of filament at a time – perfect for color switching or a gradient effect.
We want children to have fun exploring new technology and learning new skills in a way that is safe for everyone. Our zSpace augmented reality computers, 3Doodler pens, animation software, coding kits and button makers are a great hands-on introduction for young learners!
Children 12 and under must have a guardian with them in the IDEA Lab at all times.
IDEA Lab Picks
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The Maker's Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse
Where will you be when the zombie apocalypse hits? Trapping yourself in the basement? Roasting the family pet? Beheading reanimated neighbors?
No way. You’ll be building fortresses, setting traps, and hoarding supplies, because you, savvy survivor, have snatched up your copy of The Maker's Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse before it’s too late. This indispensable guide to survival after Z-day, written by hardware hacker and zombie anthropologist Simon Monk, will teach you how to generate your own electricity, salvage parts, craft essential electronics, and out-survive the undead.
For anyone from the budding maker to the keen hobbyist, The Maker’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse is an essential survival tool.
Uses the Arduino Uno board and Raspberry Pi Model B+ or Model 2 -
Maker Dad
As the editor in chief of MAKE magazine, Mark Frauenfelder has spent years combing through DIY books, but he's never been able to find one with geeky projects he can share with his two daughters.Maker Dad is the first DIY book to use cutting-edge (and affordable) technology in appealing projects for fathers and daughters to do together. These crafts and gadgets are both rewarding to make and delightful to play with. What's more,Maker Dad teaches girls lifelong skills—like computer programming, musicality, and how to use basic hand tools—as well as how to be creative problem solvers.
Innovative and groundbreaking, Maker Dad will inspire fathers to geek out with their daughters and help girls cultivate an early affinity for math, science, and technology.
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The Better Bag Maker
If you want to make gorgeous, quality bags with the professional edge that really makes the difference between home-made and handmade—open The Better Bag Maker by Nicole Mallalieu. In this how-to book accomplished bag maker, Nicole Mallalieu, reveals her high-end techniques, shortcuts, and secrets for professional design and finishes. The 10 featured projects teach a range of expert skills from adjusting the proportion of the pattern to constructing pockets, straps, flaps, and bases.. By the end of this book, you'll have a closetful of polished bags—and most likely sew better than you ever imagined you could.
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Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: A Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts
Unleash Your Inner Mechanical Mastermind
Welcome to the wondrous world of Thomas Willeford, aka Lord Archibald "Feathers" Featherstone, in which he shares his closely guarded secrets of Steampunkery. Filled with do-it-yourself projects, Steampunk Gear, Gadgets, and Gizmos: A Maker's Guide to Creating Modern Artifacts shows you how to build exquisite, ingenious contraptions on a budget.
Learn from Lord Featherstone as he distills his wealth of hard-learned skills, describes how to use the readily available tools of the modern mad scientist, and expounds on the art and philosophy of scavenging unique components and raw materials. The perfect companion for the hobbyist and advanced machinist alike, this inventive volume will guide you through the creation of your very own infernal devices.
Visit the companion website, www.mhprofessional.com/steampunk, for videos, images, and more bonus content!
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Quilling Art
"The popular craft of quilling is given a stylish and contemporary update in this fabulous book by Turkish paper artist, Sena Runa. Inside Quilling Art there are 20 stunning projects to make and then display. Beautifully stylised and with a clever use of colour to create exciting effects, these projects will hang well in the most modern of homes. Designs include a butterfly, sail boat, dancer, confetti, cocktail, cloud, heart, cat and mermaid, to name just a few. The projects vary in complexity and will appeal to beginners and experienced quillers alike. They are broken down into concise, fully illustrated step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow, and templates are provided. All the tools, materials and techiques you need to get started are fully covered. The projects will appeal to a wide range of ages, and would make lovely gifts for friends and family. Once you have learned the techniques, you can create your own designs for any number of occasions ... the possibilities are many and varied with this fun and absorbing paper craft."--Provided by publisher.