Infused oils and alcohols take a little longer to make than waters, which can be consumed immediately after mixing. If you want to make infused oils or vinegar for gifts, you may want to invest in some decorative bottles which can be bought at any craft or home goods stores. Tie a ribbon around the neck of the bottle with a tag reading what is in the concoction. Infused alcohols can be mixed and presented in mason jars. Make sure which ever bottle or jar you use is clean and dry. Any moisture left in the bottle can turn an oil rancid.

Infused water is a wonderful treat for scorching summer days, after a work out, or at a party. You can use a regular pitcher to set your fruit and herbs in, let sit for about 30 minutes and serve. Fruit frozen in ice cubes makes a pretty addition to your waters. To find some fun and delicious combinations, go to Infused Waters for inspiration.

Infused oils make a beautiful addition to kitchen decor, and even better when they are homemade. For recipes start at Instructibles. It gives step by step instructions on how to make infused cooking oils and oils for skin. The most important thing to remember when working with oils is to use clean, dry bottles or jars. Any moisture left can cause the oil to spoil and turn rancid, as will any herbs not submerged in oil. Let your giftee know that when they use their gift to tuck the herbs down into the oil or to simply cut it off and use it for cooking. Oils need time to steep so make sure if you are wanting to use it as a gift, start at least three months in advance of the gift date. Keep your oil in a warm, dark place and just let sit until you are ready to use it.

Infused alcohols are a fun and easy gift for those who like to make more complex mixed drinks. Like the oil, it needs time to infuse. For some great ideas head over to Booze and Infused. Any kind of hard liquor can be used for infusion. Use the bottle it came in or put your mix into a tall ball jar with a label. Place your infusion in a dark, cool place for several months to let steep.

Vinegars can also be used for a flavor infusion. A step by step recipe can be found at Organic Authority. Like the oils, vinegars look great in a decorative glass bottle. Don’t forget to label your newly concocted creations! And don’t forget to sample!

The post Like Oil and Water: Infused Flavors Craft Class first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Buy in Bulk

Purchasing craft supplies in bulk means that I can stock up on craft material for a reasonable price. I use Amazon Prime for the free shipping as well as Dollar Tree to purchase additional items. One would be surprised at all of the crafting possibilities there are for one dollar! Some staples to have in your craft collection are Mod Podge, acrylic paint, ribbon, and E6000 adhesive. Of course, my office is swarming with “crafts in progress” and several different types of adhesives, but I have saved a lot of money by going this route. What’s more, I can preserve my programming budget and use it for artists who specialize in an art form, like basket weaving.

Crafters Block

Trying to make budget-minded crafts that look great has proven to be a challenge. To expand the range of possibilities, I started asking the craft-program attendees for ideas. I have found they have startedy donating some supplies and also proactively bringing me ideas for future projects. This crowdsourcing has helped not only in keeping the crafts classy but also with crafter’s block.

Community=Friendships

Bringing patrons in to your library for crafts creates a following. I started out with only a few persons in attendance and now I have a waiting list. I have patrons coming in for Girls’ Night Out events, as well as mothers, daughters, friends, and sisters. I love how the attendees have formed friendships and am happy to hear about them going out for drinks after the program! If only I could draw more men…

The Product

So, what are some of the crafts we have made? To name a few, we have created dinner plate clocks, burlap pumpkins, yarn Christmas trees, Easter egg garland, concrete stepping stones, Independence Day door pallets, cupid’s bow wreaths, terracotta wind chimes, shabby chic skeleton key chimes, mason jar snow globes, dryer vent pumpkins, garden plate lawn flowers, clay leaves, picture frame wreaths, and shadow painted canvases, etc. I plan craft programming ahead of time so that I can estimate what supplies will be needed and also provide a sample to boost interest. This also allows me time to solve issues that might come up ahead of time, such as the glue not holding.

For more ideas, please feel free to contact me at marchpane81@gmail.com. Share your crafting ideas in the comments!

The post Crafting at the Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Westport Library in Westport, Connecticut, has contributed a great deal of resources towards several expensive high tech purchases. One such acquisition is the SolidWorks computer-aided design software.[1] This was used to reach out to a niche community—primarily postgraduates trying to hone their skills—a purchase that benefits a fairly small audience.  Funding such projects could be controversial in some communities since it is funneling general funds towards a service that requires a fair amount of expertise to use and hence is fairly limited in reach.  The other way to view this is that the library is providing value to a group that might not otherwise look to the library for services.  It can also be a way to create advocates in the community from different sectors, particularly in this instance where it was in response to a suggestion from a local biomedical engineer.[2]

Generally, these decisions might be difficult to gain support for, but outside funding sources can greatly impact how an idea is sold to the Board of Trustees and the broader community.  The funding for a pair of programmable NAO Evolution robots was provided by a family foundation.[3]   While the funding for the robots was provided, it still required time and effort to promote these purchases, create programming around them, see that they are used in a manner that keeps them in good repair, and avoid any usages that might cause harm to patrons or the device.  This is not for every library, but it seems to have been well utilized by Westport.  The library received a great deal of media attention from news services throughout the country and from Russia, Spain, and Vietnam.[4]  This publicity can greatly enhance the library’s visibility and can inspire community members to look to the library for non-traditional services.

Yet investing in makerspaces is not only about creating media coverage. The high tech resources allow the library to create and share knowledge in new and unconventional ways.  Maxine Bleiweis, executive director for Westport Library, has noted how these additions are in line with the latest information on learning theories and how creating new content shows a high level of understanding of a given concept. She also correlated these costs to subscription costs for databases.[5]

Libraries should consider whether they can and should contribute part of their collection development budget towards new learning technologies. A key question that every library needs to consider when making a large investment of time and resources is how it relates back to the institutions mission.  The mission of the Westport Library “to empower individuals and strengthen the community, providing a welcoming destination that stimulates curiosity, encourages lifelong learning and promotes the open and lively exchange of information and ideas.”[6]  The high tech additions of the makerspace seem to effectively fit into this mission, and they have the resources to support this new technology.

A recurring question in library circles is what the library of the future will look like.  A key aspect of this is the extent to which makerspaces and particularly high tech makerspaces are a part of this future.  While it is unlikely that every library will have highly technical, expensive equipment, it should not be inconceivable that a library can provide this type of support if there is the community desire and the available resources.

Works Cited

[1]    Enis, Matt.  “Westport Maker Space Expands with Robots, SolidWorks Courses and Volunteer Training.”  Library Journal.  Accessed November 22, 2014.  http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2014/10/hardware-2/westport-maker-space-expands-robots-solidworks-courses-volunteer-training/

[2]    ibid

[3]    ibid

[4]    ibid

[5]    ibid

[6]    “About WPL.”  Westport Library.  Accessed November 22, 2014. http://westportlibrary.org/about

Cover Photo Credit: CSM Library CC BY 2.0

The post High Tech Makerspaces first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

When Chicago Public Library’s shiny new Teen Services department challenged librarians to herald the arrival of YALSA’s Teen Tech Week (March 9-15) with DIY @ your library awesomeness, they didn’t disappoint. We’re talking duct tape and jewelry-making programs, Spotify and Tellagami workshops, and even video production and robotics demos at library locations across the city. (I know, right? “Wow!” and “OMG!” don’t even begin to cover it.)

Since I can hardly do 30+ programs justice in a single blog post, here’s how three Chicago Public Library (CPL) librarians helped teens light, laugh, and learn their way through DIY @ your library earlier this month:

Electronic Cuff Bracelets
Who: Teen librarian Heidi Gustad, a CPL Maker Lab representative, and 16 teens
Where: Back of the Yards Branch (Chicago Public Library)
How Heidi did it: With help and donated supplies from the CPL Maker Lab, teens learned how to use conductive thread, LED bulbs, small batteries, and basic sewing skills to make a simple circuit in the form of a cuff bracelet. Heidi had a hunch the program would be popular, so she’s hosting a bonus session during the last week of March to accommodate more teens. How you can do it, too: Find Heidi’s instructions (complete with step-by-step photos) on her nifty blog, Hands Occupied.

Jokes into Memes Workshop
Who:  CPL Teen librarian Erica Gamble and a group of humor-loving teens
Where: Richard M. Daley YOUmedia
How Erica did it: Using a lively slideshow, Erica invited teens to find a good joke (or write one of their own) and turn it into a meme using a free app called Sumopaint. She also encouraged them to publish their finished projects on the CPL Teen Volume Tumblr. Erica knocked this one out of the park—her teens were reading jokes out of her branch’s joke books and laughing during the entire workshop. Check out her TTW 14 Flickr set to see examples of the fun! How you can do it, too: Round up your library’s joke books, download Sumopaint, and get your teens laughing in no time.

3D Printing
Who: Teen librarian Molly Kelly, YALSA and the Best Buy Geek Squad, and 26 teens
Where: Lozano YOUmedia
How Molly did it: Thanks to YALSA and Best Buy’s Geek Squad agents, teens learned to use Sketchup software to design 3D homes, which they could later print on the branch’s new MakerBot 3D printer. Her teens learned the new software quickly, and Molly enjoyed watching their creativity come to life through design. How you can do it, too: Since this program requires some pretty high-tech stuff, it might be a bit challenging to replicate at your library. But keep your fingers crossed for next year’s TTW mini-grants to help fund your project!

I know you want to share your “Wow!” and “OMG!” stories, too. Leave a reply and let everyone know how you celebrated DIY @ your library!

*****************************
Resources
http://teentechweek.ning.com/
http://chicago.bibliocms.com/news/discover-and-create-during-teen-tech-week-at-cpl/

About Teen Tech WeekA national initiative sponsored by YALSA, Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use libraries’ non-print resources for education and recreation and to recognize that librarians are qualified, trusted professionals in the field of information technology. Teen Tech Week began in 2007 and has a general theme of Get Connected @ your library.

The post DIY @ your library: A Retropeek at Teen Tech Week first appeared on Public Libraries Online.