Ideas blaze to life with CreateSpace

Centre College’s Grace Doherty Library is offering a new resource to spur the campus community’s creativity using the latest design tools available. The new CreateSpace is a lab where students, faculty and staff can work on projects using equipment and software that may not be available to them elsewhere.  

Under the direction of the library and overseen by Audio-Visual Manager Todd Sheene, CreateSpace allows users to develop and create innovative projects, explore new technologies and craft digital products. Technology and assistance are available for creating and editing films and photographs, 3D making, game and program design, audio creation, music making and for experimenting with ChatGPT Plus, with assistance and support available. 

“We want students, faculty and staff to have access to some of the most current technology applications and support, allowing them to stay up-to-speed with the rest of the creative world and build skills for the future,” Sheene said. 

Sheene will be joined by a staff of students tasked with providing support and guidance for these technologies, including juniors Johsty Bach and Francisco Lacson, and first-year student Omkar Varikar.  

“I am the digital scholarship assistant, specifically assisting with 3D printing projects and software,” Lacson said. “I'll be there to assist and provide training with our 3D printers; how to model with Blender; export projects; and turn those virtual projects into reality. 

“I am excited to see the amazing projects and endeavors that students pursue, turning an idea into a physical object,” he continued. “There are endless possibilities of what you can create with a 3D printer.”

Also available to lend his expertise is faculty liaison Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry Andrew Hitron. 

"I have been working with 3D printers for several years and these, as well as laser cutters and plotter cutters, are becoming both more inexpensive and more commonly found in institutional, business and even home settings,” Hitron said. “It is important to have such devices available to all students, staff and faculty, giving them a flexible, independent space where they can explore and learn about them outside of the boundaries of a course and class time.” 

Sheene sees CreateSpace as the perfect extension of the work the Centre library staff has already been offering its patrons. 

“The library has always been a haven for projects of the audio/video variety,” Sheene said. “Now we are moving into physical projects, including 3D printing, Cricut printing and an expanded AV suite to include musical creation with midi-keyboard implementation.” 

“I'm excited at the new opportunities this resource unlocks for students,” Hitron added. “A makerspace is something that any and every student can use without necessarily having to have an agenda or goal in mind— and some of the coolest things come about from just tinkering." 

CreateSpace is open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., weekdays. Learn more at CreateSpace. 

___________________________ 
 

CreateSpace Open House
Crounse Hall, lower level 
Wednesday, March 27, 3:30-5:30 p.m. 

Experiment with technology in the space and register to win one of several prizes, including an iPad and Apple Pen.