by Jacqui Cheng, ars technica
If you’ve ever had a hankering to try out a 3D printer, a laser cutter, or a milling machine without dropping thousands of your own hard-earned dollars, the Harold Washington Library in Chicago is the place to be. The Harold Washington has become the first major urban library to open a pop-up “maker lab,” allowing members of the general public the opportunity to experiment with the cutting-edge technologies. And while there are still a few wrinkles to iron out before the public can use all the machines, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) system is already looking forward to where this project will go next. “There’s more buzz about this on social media than anything we’ve ever done,” CPL’s First Deputy Commissioner Andrea Sáenz told Ars.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/07/3d-printing-for-all-inside-chicago-librarys-new-pop-up-maker-lab/