Building buttons and playing with plastic might not be what you think of when you picture a college library, but the Penfield Library Makerspace has just that. SUNY Oswego News student reporter Krystal Cole had to check it out.

“And just like that, you have a button,” Abhishek Rauniyar, the lead student worker in the Makerspace said while demonstrating a button-making machine.

Learning technologies librarian Sharona Ginsberg uses fun and future to facilitate learning.

“But the idea of the Makerspace, is really interacting with other people, and not just coming and reading a book about how to do it.” Ginsberg said. “But, learning hands on and trying it out.”

Rauniyar added: "The goal is exposure. What we try to do, is we try to expose all these tools that we have, to students. So introduce them.”

Projects range from basic, such as this set resembles Legos …

“Yeah, it's kind of like fancy Legos that make circuits,” Ginsberg explained.

… to more complex.

“Like, if I were to give you a 30 minute lesson with what I did, you can practically do, like something up to this level,” said Rauniyar, a junior computer science major.

“The uses for the Makerspace are as wide as your imagination,” Cole said.

“Providing stuff you can use, both for class for your personal enrichment. You can use it for clubs, you can use it for hobbies,” Ginsberg said. “So it really depends what people want to do with it.”

Making ideas come to life, is as simple as one, two, 3D.

“It's actually very easy to do, once you have your model,” Ginsberg said. “You essentially put it in the software, change some settings and hit print.

“It looked like so much fun, I wanted to get a 3D scan of myself,” Cole said.

“Both, you know, enriching the campus, giving people something fun to do, and something relaxing,” Ginsberg said. “But also, helping people learn about new technologies, learn new skills.”

After just a few simple steps, Cole’s own 3D model was ready, a small souvenir from visiting the fascinating space.

“If you want to take advantage of the materials and the Makerspace, come to the 2nd floor of Penfield Library,” Cole said.

For more information, visit https://www.oswego.edu/library/maker-services-technology.