Visit the calendar of events to find all scheduled Collaboratory classes, meetups, and events including those requiring registration.

Local experts and hobbyists teach classes in a specific skill or craft.

• Some experience can be helpful, but not required.
• Most classes require registration which opens 30 days prior to the class date.
• During classes, the Collaboratory may not be available for general use.

If you would like to teach a class, please contact Collaboratory staff.

Meetups are open to the public and are dedicated to a particular activity. Work on projects with like-minded makers and learn from one another. Bring your own project or access free materials in the Collaboratory.

If you are interested in hosting a meetup, please contact Collaboratory staff.

There is something for everyone in the Collaboratory!

• All equipment must be used in the Collaboratory and remain in the room.
• Equipment with an asterisk (*) may require a safety protocol of an active adult participant with users under a certain age.
• Sometimes equipment is out of order or in-repair.
• We cannot guarantee everything on this list will be available.
• If there is a piece of equipment you would like to use at home, check out the Library of Things collection. You may find one to borrow!

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Brookwood Library Equipment

3-D Printers (Dremel, Dreamer)*
Sewing Machines (Husqvarna)*
Iron*
Serger Machine*
Vinyl Heat Press*
Silhouette Cameo 4 Digital Die Cutter*
Dremel tool*
Heat Embossing Tool*
Button Makers
Laminator
Arduinos
Makey Makeys
Big Shot Manual Die Cutter
Cinch Book Binding Machine
Cubelets

Please note: The Brookwood Glowforge is no longer in service and will not be replaced.

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Shute Park Library Equipment

3D Printers (2)
Silhouette digital die cutter
Sewing Machine
Button Makers (2 sizes)
Heat Press
Laminator
Cubelets
Snap Circuits
Sprocket Instant Photo Device
3-D Pen
Hot glue guns
Markers, crayons, pencils
Nikon Digital SLR camera
Sizzix die cutter
Arduino/Grove Microcontroller Kits
Makey Makeys

The Heat Press is used to transfer vinyl designs onto various types of materials. It's ideal for professional and at-home designs on t-shirts, bags, puzzles, ceramic tiles, etc.

• A full-size Heat Press is available at the Brookwood Collaboratory and a smaller hand-held model is available at the Shute Park Collaboratory.
• You must be 18 or over to use the full-size Heat Press. The full-size Heat Press is only available during Brookwood's Collaboratory open hours, 12-6 each day. The Shute Park hand-held Heat Press is available for use any time the library is open.
• There is usually a staff member on hand at both locations to assist in getting started if necessary.

Makerspaces are places where people are encouraged to engage in the process of making. This process involves curiosity, inspiration, exploration, idea development, trying, failing, trying again, sometimes collaborating with other makers, and finding a solution. Oftentimes the first solution is not the final solution, so the maker starts again.

DIY (do-it-yourself) philosophy challenges people to explore and tinker and discover on your own or within a community of makers. We invite you to shed any pressure to be an “expert” as you walk through the Collaboratory doors. It takes courage to try something new. “What if I mess up?” is a common fear. Great news: the Collaboratory is the best place for messing up! (We only ask that you tidy up after your creative process!)

The Collaboratories are not staffed. Volunteers can support you as they are available. The public computers in the Collaboratories offer links to how-to videos from the library’s YouTube channel. You can always access the internet to search specific questions. Binders with printed manuals are located near each tool. You are encouraged to explore the space and discover how things work on your own, but if you get stuck, you can ask for support. We’ll do our best to help, but we are not always available for in-depth help.

If you’ve watched our YouTube training videos, read the manuals provided, and still need help, visit the calendar of events for upcoming classes that focus on each tool in the Collaboratory.

The Collaboratory is free for everyone. You are welcome to use fabric, yarn, paper, beads, hot glue, and everything else in the space. The equipment is also free to use on a first-come, first-served basis.

You can take home any project you make in the Collaboratory. Please leave supplies in the Collaboratory for all makers. 

Can I donate materials?

No, we are currently not accepting craft material donations.