Friday 30 September 2016

17 Fun Projects to See at Maker Faire San Diego

mfsd-2016-press-2Filled to the brim with over 200 makers, Maker Faire San Diego is spread throughout the massive park, and a ticket to the Faire also gets you admission to 10 participating museums housed in the park.

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Win up to $15,000 from the Bernzomatic Grant Program

featureThe Bernzomatic Grant program is making the world a better place!

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GE Lights for Life Challenge Winners Announced at Maker Faire

lightsforlifeheaderThe average home has 45 lightbulbs. How will tomorrow's smart home use lightbulbs? We partnered with GE and Hackster to ask the maker community for their ideas.

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This Two-Player Mini Arcade Is Powered by Raspberry Pi

img_1092-copyMatt “Circuitbeard” Brailsford is the creator of this 80's inspired "cocktail table" retro graming center.

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Maker Pro News: Connecting at Maker Faire and More

thudrumbleThis week we delve into the entrepreneurial spirit of World Maker Faire, beautiful and useful data about Kickstarter projects, and more.

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Craft a Jack-O’-Lantern Centerpiece

img_8621For a cheery Halloween centerpiece, all you really need is paint, a hot glue gun, and some cheap items you can get from the dollar store.

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Green Bronx Machine Blends Science, Food, and Learning

happy-2The Green Bronx Machine is about more than growing food... it's about growing minds!

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Sixth Maker Faire Atlanta Features 200 Maker Exhibits

mfa-ribbonsAtlanta is gearing up for the sixth annual Maker Faire Atlanta, taking place this weekend, October 1 and 2, in downtown Decatur.

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Thursday 29 September 2016

22 Reasons to Not Miss World Maker Faire New York This Weekend

14470392_10100292884080304_7108846104105187906_nEvery Faire brings a new collection of jaw-dropping projects made from a diverse collection of makers.

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Chemistry, Music, and Parkour Blend at Maker Faire Galicia

mfg-grafMaker Faire Galicia is happening this weekend in Spain. If you can make it you're in for lots of cool exhibits, workshops, and music.

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The Power of Kids and Science

bubblesThe magic of Maker Camp is that kids — and adults too! — inherently love being hands-on with projects.

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Building a Life-Size Replica of Poe Dameron’s X-Wing

img_1207You know you want to get up into the cockpit of this X-Wing.

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Mold Chocolate to Create a Candy-Filled Jug

featuredimagemakezineI was inspired by Kinder Surprise eggs to make a white chocolate milk jug filled with candy.

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5 Key Considerations for Your Laser Cut Design

image01When you are laser cutting a design you should take these 5 things into consideration.

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Wildcards and fugitives: staff exhibition at the State Library Victoria

The State Library of Victoria has a significant model of supporting staff creativity, both through a Residency program, and through staff exhibitions as well! Enjoy! Erinn

Melbourne Mayhem, by Andrew McConville, collage. (image: Andrew McConville)

Melbourne Mayhem, by Andrew McConville, collage. (image: Andrew McConville)

by Dominique Dunstan, Curator

The State Library of Victoria is a great cultural institution and not surprisingly there are many talented people working here, including writers, artists and musicians. Some of their work can be found in the library’s collections. The Joyce McGrath Gallery was an initiative of the Shared Leadership Program that staff have participated in for some years.  Established in December 2010, the gallery recognises the wide range of creativity within the Library and provides a collegial, creative environment to bring staff together. It promotes imagination, collaboration and celebrates the wealth of talent in our staff. JMG draws diverse staff together to collaborate on imaginative projects of their own design. One of the defined goals of the library is to be open and inviting – to surprise delight and inform by sharing stories, collections, spaces and expertise. This exhibition and the gallery itself embodies that goal beautifully.

The Gallery… draws diverse staff together to collaborate on imaginative projects of their own design.

Detail of the layout process, hanging ribbons to hold the cards. (photo:Naomi Crotty)

Detail of the layout process, hanging ribbons to hold the cards. (photo:Naomi Crotty)

There hadn’t been an exhibition in the gallery for a while so we (the gallery committee) decided a group exhibition would be a good way to get people involved. I began thinking about a theme that could include everyone, regardless of creative ability. In October last year I read an article about the last printing of OCLC catalogue cards. Like most libraries, we stopped generating catalogue cards at the SLV some years ago. The article made me reflect on the prodigious human effort of generating all those individual cards. The card catalogue at the State Library is vast. Once the great cornerstone of collection access, this leviathan now sleeps in the catacombs under the reading rooms, overtaken by the information revolution.

Like most libraries, we stopped generating catalogue cards at the SLV some years ago… [it] made me reflect on the prodigious human effort of generating all those individual cards.

Greg Gerrand and Dominique Dunstan arranging cards on the gallery walls (photo:Naomi Crotty)

Greg Gerrand and Dominique Dunstan arranging cards on the gallery walls (photo:Naomi Crotty)

There were still a few bundles of abandoned cards hidden away in nooks and crannies about the library and I wanted to use them to acknowledge this transition. No longer used for their intended purpose could they still be used to capture and share information?

One half of the completed installation. 170 cards formed the opening installation on May 6, suspended on ribbons and held in place with small red pencils which were also used to produce art work. The cards included writing, poetry, drawing, sculpture, collage and other media. New works have been added since the launch and the exhibition now extends onto a third wall.

One half of the completed installation. 170 cards formed the opening installation on May 6, suspended on ribbons and held in place with small red pencils which were also used to produce art work. The cards included writing, poetry, drawing, sculpture, collage and other media. New works have been added since the launch and the exhibition now extends onto a third wall.

The other half of the story came from the little red pencils. The library has offered scrap paper and half size red HB pencils at service desks in the reading rooms for a long time. Over the years the little red pencils have disappeared in their thousands, recording innumerable notes, ideas and messages in their travels. They are generous tokens of what the library means and invite our users to write something down, to connect thought and action.

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The cards were grouped to form themes and tell stories. This area featured portraits of staff, including a series of silhouettes by Ann Copeland. (photo:Naomi Crotty)

The pencils and cards coexisted in the library for many years – the cards offering their knowledge, the pencils passing it on or interpreting it in the form of reader’s notes, before pursuing a fancy free existence circulating in the wide world of ideas, reminders, shopping lists and doodles.

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Detail of “Turtle card” with double ended pencil, by Naomi Crotty. (photo:Naomi Crotty)

This exhibition unites these two icons – the catalogue cards and little pencils – the obsolete and the ephemeral

This exhibition unites these two icons – the catalogue cards and little pencils – the obsolete and the ephemeral, to see what they might become, released from the rules of organized knowledge. It is a chance to reflect on time spent at the library learning, imagining, creating, and to share some of those thoughts.

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Staff reading the catalogue and admiring 3d works at the launch of the exhibition on 6 May 2016 (photo:Naomi Crotty)

In developing the concept for the exhibition I wanted to offer of an idea that everyone could take part in and could include all sorts of formats – drawing, writing, collage, even music. The more I thought about the cards and pencils the more I liked it. It was a small personal format that did not require a big investment or intimidate participants.  The materiality of the cards and pencils had great appeal and familiarity, and could unify a diversity of styles and voices. Using found and discarded materials meant the cost of producing the show would be low. The next step was submitting the proposal to the gallery committee for approval. The proposal was endorsed and we then set about planning how to realize the exhibition. The gallery committee consists of a small group of volunteers that includes staff from building facilities, community programs and collections. This mix makes for a great range of skill and functionality across the library.  It means we can get a lot done with very few people and everyone on the committee has access to different people who can support and help us.

Using found and discarded materials meant the cost of producing the show would be low.

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Detail of “Recorded iceberg, after Frank Hurley”, with “melting” pencil, by Dominique Dunstan. (photo Dominique Dunstan)

The exhibition was promoted to staff through emailed invitations, informal conversations and information sessions. The response was overwhelmingly positive which was so encouraging. People loved the idea. Getting people to actually start making work for the show was a little bit harder. There is always something more important that demands attention. However from a slow start, with lots of encouragement, lunchtime drawing sessions, emails and even a little begging, the cards started rolling in. As the curator of the exhibition I got to see all of them first. It was a constant source of surprise and delight. The imagination and diversity of the cards is wonderful. At the opening there were 170 cards from about 40 staff. It was a great event with over 60 people attending. Kate Torney, our CEO, officially launched the exhibition with warm words and high praise for everyone who had contributed. The exhibition is organic and more cards have come in since the opening. It will continue to grow until the exhibition closes in September.

With lots of encouragement, lunchtime drawing sessions, emails and even a little begging, the cards started rolling in.

Detail of catalogue card bracelet and pencil brooch by Shelley Jamieson. The exhibition including two display cases of 3d works. (photo Dominique Dunstan)

Detail of catalogue card bracelet and pencil brooch by Shelley Jamieson. The exhibition including two display cases of 3d works. (photo Dominique Dunstan)

I think Wildcards and Fugitives still has the potential to expand and grow as a project. As an installation it could be reconfigured in many different contexts. I’d be interested to hear from creative people in other libraries who would like to contribute. It would be nice to see the exhibition in a more public venue. One of the drawbacks of the staff gallery space is that it is not in a public area of the library so access to a wider audience is limited. Perhaps we can find another gallery to exhibit in so more people can have the chance to enjoy it.

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Staff enjoying the show, 6 May 2016 (photo:Naomi Crotty)

It can be challenging taking on projects like this above and beyond “normal” work, especially when resources are stretched in the first place. You need to be pretty committed to achieving your aims as there is always something more pressing demanding your attention and everyone is busy. You also need a few people who feel the same way so you can encourage and support each other.  It’s not easy but it is really rewarding. I am so proud of what we have achieved with Wildcards and Fugitives and I’m sure I’m not the only one. It’s been a revelation and a joy discovering each new contribution.  So many stories have been told and connections made that I think this exhibition will keep on giving and making things happen well after the show is taken down. Library workers are a notoriously humble lot. We are so dedicated to the communities we serve that we rarely find time to acknowledge and value our colleagues and our own work. It is really affirming and important to do this once in a while.

 

screen-shot-2016-09-27-at-8-20-56-pmDominique Dunstan is an Arts Librarian in charge of Collection Development & Discovery at the State Library Victoria.



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Wednesday 28 September 2016

How to Sculpt a 3/4 Monster Mask for Casting

monstermask_1A beginner's guide to sculpting a clay monster mask for casting.

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Flash Sale: Pay What You Want for an Awesome Bundle of Make: eBooks

takemetohumblebundleOur latest deal on Humble Bundle features new titles and some of our most popular best-sellers. Save money and benefit charity at the same time!

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State Library of Queensland: Memory Squad!

This year we have the distinct pleasure of hosting updates from Dr. Matt Finch, with whom we’ve worked on a number of LAIP features, as he serves as Creative in Residence at the State Library of Queensland, Australia. This feature digs into history, memory, and what it means to explore the past in a library.

by Matt Finch

My previous Incubator columns have looked at programming and regional outreach at the State Library of Queensland (SLQ), an Australian institution serving a territory three times the size of France.

I currently serve as Creative in Residence with this library. A lot of my work involves creating play-based events, but libraries are also still defined by their collections and the mission of preserving heritage. So this time round, I wanted to explore what it means to have a creative relationship with the past in a 21st-century library.

We’re joined today by three library professionals from SLQ, explaining how investigation, conservation, and storytelling all play a part in making sure Queensland’s past is kept safe and relevant.

Meet Jacinta, Laura, and Gavin: the Memory Squad.

The Mysterious Mountaineer

It came down to old-school Photoshop and a serious case of FOMO: the historical record tweaked to indulge an enthusiastic mountaineer.

The truth of the case never would have emerged but for Jacinta Sutton and her love of the Glass House Mountains.

“Sometimes people think history is unimportant, or boring because it’s old-fashioned; the future can seem so much more appealing. But just by getting up in the morning, you’re creating history.”

Jacinta is a project officer in the State Library’s Discovery team, which facilitates access to library holdings online.

“We try to put the library’s digital collections in spaces where people already are,” she says with a wry smile when we meet over coffee one weekday morning.

Not a Queenslander by birth, Jacinta discovered the Glass House mountains when she and her partner moved to the state.

“We used to go to the mountains every weekend and they became our friends,” she explains.

The mountains lie some forty miles north of the State Library of Queensland’s headquarters in central Brisbane. Created by volcanic activity twenty-seven million years ago, they perch high above Australia’s Sunshine Coast, incorporated within a national park spanning almost two thousand acres.

At the State Library, Jacinta discovered many items which refer to this group of mountains, reflecting their enormous importance to Queensland’s heritage. The local Indigenous name for the group of  mountains is disputed, but according to one of the sources Jacinta consulted, in the Gubbi Gubbi language they are known as “daki comon” meaning “stones standing up”. In May 1770, the mountains were seen for the first time by European eyes, when Captain James Cook spotted them from Australia’s eastern coast, and wrote:

These hills lie but a little way inland, and not far from each other: they are very remarkable on account of their singular form of elevation, which very much resemble glass houses, which occasioned my giving them that name.

“In Australia,” Jacinta says, “it’s particularly important to empower Indigenous communities and give them control of cultural heritage – not just interpret their culture and history.”

“Ignorance causes prejudice to fester and allows false stories to perpetuate. If we know what has happened in the past, we can see why things are as they currently are, and figure out how to change that. I’m not sure we’ll get as far as I would like in my life time, but what we’re doing now will be instrumental in letting future generations make that change.”

Fighting ignorance and uncovering the truth of the past takes many forms. At times, Jacinta finds herself playing detective, as when she unearthed a photograph from 1912 recording the first successful ascent of Mount Coonowrin by women.

Three sisters, Jenny, Sara, and Etty Clark, made the ascent accompanied by Jack Sairs, Willie Fraser, and photographer George Rowley.

queensland-1

Something about the photo struck the sharp-eyed library worker as wrong. “I thought they must have used a really modern camera with a timer to take that picture, because all six of them are in it. And the man on the far right isn’t facing the same way as the others, the grass around him is a different colour…”

Jacinta unearthed the original image in the Bankfoot House Collection held by Sunshine Coast Library.

queensland-2

In this version, only five people appear in the photograph. The missing figure is George Rowley, the photographer himself.

“It’s an early example of Photoshop,” jokes Jacinta. “I think he added himself when printing the photo for inclusion in The Queenslander. Who could blame him for not wanting to miss out?”

The case of the mysterious mountaineer reminds us that heritage is an ongoing conversation; that the truth of the past can never be taken for granted; and even in the world of “sepia and beards”, we find intriguing stories which aren’t so far from today’s world of Photoshop and social media.

Reversible Repairs

Conservation at the State Library is a practical affair, with a big demand for hands-on skills. Staff might be expected to repair books, prepare materials for scanning, create displays using textiles, and even install exhibitions.

Still, it surprised Laura Daenke in her job interview when they asked her, hypothetically, how she’d prepare a cornet for display.

“I was applying for a role as Assistant Paper Conservator,” Laura explains. “The interview was very practical: they gave scenarios and asked what you would do, what materials you would use, what concerns you might have.”

The musical instrument presented an unusual challenge, but Laura passed with flying colours and soon found herself joining SLQ’s conservation team.

Then she found out the cornet was real.

 

queensland-3

“We had to buy a trumpet stand from a music store; at least it was purpose built. We covered it with parsilk, which dressmakers use to mock up clothes. It was difficult to cover the stand, so I made it look fluid, ruffling the material so it was pretty!”

The instrument dated back to 1919, a gift to the bandmaster of the 9th Battalion Band on his return from Gallipolli and the Western Front. But Laura’s team rarely have time to investigate objects’ provenance.

“Conservation blends science and creativity, history and geography, plus patience and dexterity,” she tells me. “We’d love to spend more time learning the stories behind the objects – but we’re swiftly on to fixing the next thing.”

“Fixing” objects has changed a lot too. These days conservators like Laura find ways to make objects stable and useful, but they also try to ensure that future conservators can undo their repairs if need be.

“In the past, people have used substances like PVA-type glues, which can be hard to reverse. We’re stuck with the consequences of their choices now, and we know that future generations may have better technology than us, so we try to make everything reversible if possible.”

The main goal of a conservator at the library is not to restore the object to its original condition, but to make sure that deterioration stops and the object is stable.

“We fix a tear in a page so that people can read the book, not to restore it to its condition on the day of publication; we repair crinkled, stained, or ripped objects so that they can be scanned and digitised. Libraries are about information, and our job is to preserve the information in the object. ”

The Memory Surgeon

“How we record our stories matters,” says Gavin Bannerman, Executive Director at Queensland Memory. “We’re trying to keep them alive to create new knowledge.”

Gavin sees his role as being akin to that of a surgeon, “transplanting” memories so that they are not lost but endure within the living framework of the library.

“We make a place for a story to live, so a broader community can not only experience the past, but make new things from it.”

Gavin and I have worked on a couple of projects during my year with the State Library, both about rescuing or uncovering neglected aspects of Queensland’s past.

queensland-4

The television chef Bernard King came to our attention by chance early in 2016. One of Australia’s first gay television stars, King was a flamboyant and acerbic talent judge and chef, notorious for his barbed humour and all-but-inedible recipes.

Rejected by the industry that he’d served for most of his life, he died in poverty and was swiftly forgotten – but his story, as a Queenslander and a pioneer of the Australian media, remains of vital interest.

Gavin and I discovered that King’s biographer had recorded three days of interviews shortly before his death in 2002. The State Library entered into negotiations and acquired these tapes for their digital archive, so that generations to come will still be able to hear King’s story in his own words.

“It might sound dramatic, comparing this to life-saving surgery, but it’s just as high stakes,” says Gavin. “If you make a slip when trying to save a memory, there’s no way of recovering it. The past, by definition, is never coming back – and if we miss our chance to save and share it, we don’t get another. The apparently mundane business of archives is actually the highest stakes, most dramatic thing any library does.”

Coda

As Jacinta Sutton puts it; “When you know the history of the place you live, you feel more connected to that place. The more layers of history we discover, the more we understand our investment in that connection, and the more we strive to make our own layer of history count. Libraries have the power and position to invigorate the history our society can otherwise take for granted.”

queensland-5

Enjoyed your visit with the Memory Squad? Upcoming projects from the State Library of Queensland’s Memory and Discovery teams include celebrations of the Bee Gees’ links to Queensland and the Australian contribution to Doctor Who, plus a digital collaboration with the British Library. Find out more at the State Library website.

 



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Electric Skateboards, Art Cars, and a Dremel Guitar Amp at the Maker Faire Berlin

mfb-abacusLast year, Germany’s capital city of Berlin embraced the first ever Maker Faire Berlin, a vibrant celebration that showcased 120 maker exhibits and drew 7,800 attendees. The organizers, Heinz Heise, the German publishing company who produces a German-language version of Make: magazine, have also been hosting Maker Faire Hannover for […]

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5 HATs to Take Your Raspberry Pi Zero Project to the Next Level

The MotoZero makes your Raspberry Pi motorizedThe Raspberry Pi Zero is a favorite, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved with a HAT so here are 5 that we like a lot.

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5 Machines for 3D Printing Cutting-Edge Cuisines

PNKB01BK_PancekBot_Lifestyle3D Printing food could make for some interesting cuisine innovations in the future. There's a few options to get you "cooking" now.

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7 Ideas for Automating Your Halloween Porch Display

LED pumpkinSounds, light, and motion: here are 7 inspired ideas that bring your porch display alive for visiting trick-or-treaters.

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Tuesday 27 September 2016

Maker Spotlight: Sátrapa

satrapahandsAn interview (con una traducción española) with the Galician artist Sátrapa, creator of fantastic robots from another world.

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Educators Gather to Reimagine Schools as Platforms for Making

make education forumJoin us this Friday at the New York Hall of Science for the Make: Education Forum to discuss more active, participatory models of education that encourage creativity and curiosity.

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Teachers Can Fund Classroom Makerspaces with DonorsChoose

maker_faire_lucas_saugen_day2-0462DonorsChoose is a great option for funding a makerspace in your classroom.

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Don’t Dismiss Tips or Techniques Because They’re Old Hat … to You

lightbulbterrariumSomething that's new to someone may be old hat to you, but why tarnish that moment of discovery for someone else with a dismissive comment.

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Indonesian Makers Work Towards Zero Food Waste

IMG_8451Jakarta makers combine forces with environmental groups to educate the public about food waste in Indonesia and come up with solutions.

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The Tiny Post-Apocalyptic Worlds of Nix & Gerber

Subway copyWhen you've imagined the apocalypse for so long, what do you imagine afterwards?

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The Seattle Public Library and Rabble Launch PlayBack

playback_home_page

The PlayBack homepage

by Andrew Harbison

The Seattle Public Library launched PlayBack just over a month ago with 50 incredible albums by Seattle’s musicians, joining libraries in Madison and Edmonton as the latest to build a local music collection using Rabble’s MUSICat platform.

From the start, the Seattle community has wholeheartedly embraced PlayBack. The library received a flood of submissions—nearly 300 albums—during an open call to local musicians. Seattle is an active and amazing music city, and MUSICat sites are incredibly effective at generating opportunities for community engagement.

These kinds of collections—built on a licensing relationship between the library and the artist—seem to automatically generate engagement that goes beyond collection use, teaching communities about the amazing work their neighbors create. This makes PlayBack the perfect project for The Seattle Public Library, which has a strategic goal of engaging local creative communities in new ways by offering relevant, inclusive, and participatory programs and services, as well as representing the work of these communities in the Library’s collections.

These kinds of collections—built on a licensing relationship between the library and the artist—seem to automatically generate engagement that goes beyond collection use.

playback_albums

Albums from PlayBack’s opening collection

Librarians in Seattle are working hard to foster engagement by integrating the digital and physical aspects of their collections, programs, and services. One great example: the launch party held at Seattle’s historic Columbia City Theater that featured performances by PlayBack artists Sun Breaks and Fly Moon Royalty as well as a popular local radio station DJ Sharlese from KEXP’s Audioasis local music program who was spinning PlayBack artists all night.

The Library plans to identify ways it can integrate PlayBack music and artists into other programs and services. For example, plans are in the works to play and promote PlayBack music at author readings and other events. PlayBack albums exist in the Library’s general catalog, alongside books, media, and other content in the collection. The Library is also prominently featuring and promoting PlayBack on its social media channels.

playback_artist_page

Grace Love and the True Loves Artist page in PlayBack

These ideas demonstrate how The Seattle Public Library team is embracing PlayBack’s potential as a vehicle for supporting local artists. The Library paid $10,000 in licensing fees to 50 musicians for the opening collection and is working with other community partners to strengthen collective resources to better support local artists. Librarians also feel very fortunate to have a Foundation that is supportive of the Library’s interest in—and need to—innovate.

Challenges often come with innovation, and we have had our share. Managing the jurying process for 300 submissions pushed us to create new solutions. The library team developed a new evaluation workflow for the community jurists who helped curate the opening collection. They also spent time working with their business office to find a way to compensate artists within existing systems and standards. The Rabble team learned a lot about how to make MUSICat’s administrative tools more supportive of large jurying processes. These are exactly the kinds of challenges we were hoping to face as this amount of successful engagement is a welcome problem to have!

 

playback_harbison_1Andrew Harbison is the Assistant Director of Collections and Access for The Seattle Public Library system, where he oversees Technical and Collection Services, Materials Distribution Services, and Circulation Services.



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Maker Spotlight: Jennie Lennick

jenny-lemons-portraitJennie Lennick, aka Jenny Lemons, is a San Francisco based artist who creates block-printed and hand painted fashions.

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Monday 26 September 2016

Making a Pizza Box MIDI Controller with Conductive Paint

pz1build-16_853Paint a fun and funky MIDI input device for making music on a pizza box.

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Join The Deconstruction, a Choose Your Own Adventure Style Hackathon

americanpie3-1-1024x518The Deconstruction is 48 hour period to make whatever you want — a poem, a robot, video — as thousands across the globe do the same thing.

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Don’t Miss Out: Tune in for the Live Stream of Maker Faire New York

power-racingDon't miss out on the live stream!

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The Skryf Robots Write Temporal Poetry with Sand

SkryfWith words trailing behind them, the Skryf robots challenge what it means to be outlived by art by writing poetry with sand.

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Construct a Fearsome Battle Axe Prop from MDF and PVC

the finished productWhat is a mighty warrior without a mighty weapon? Build this fearsome double-headed axe prop from MDF and PVC.

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Sunday 25 September 2016

This Week in Making: GoPro Drones, Transformers, and Halloween Prep

FIGURE 2-44: Standing on top of the Rondo-reinforced helmetThis past week we learned about GoPro's new drone, watched an amazing Transformers movie made by fans, and started prepping our Halloween costumes.

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Saturday 24 September 2016

Friday 23 September 2016

The Moat Boat Paddle Battle Returns To World Maker Faire

racesmediumThe most exciting paddle battle is returning to Maker Faire!

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The Art of Japanese Marquetry

marquetry_1Taking a look at the amazing marquetry known as Yosegi-zaiku from the mountain region of Hakone, Japan.

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6 Essential Tips for Designing Your Makerspace’s Layout

UVAWhen planning a makerspace, most think about designing for creativity. It’s important to think about the types of projects that will be completed in the space, how many people will use the space at any given time, and the equipment on your must-have versus nice-to-have lists. However, there are also a […]

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Maker Pro News: Baltimore’s Startup Scene, Robotic Ethics, and More

becausewecanCatch the latest ways makers are impacting business and technology this week. Check out how Baltimore's budding makerspace scene is buildign entrepreneurial spirit and how a CNC machine can make a big difference for a small company.

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Carbonate Your Fruit with Alka-Seltzer Tablets

FizzyFruit-3When you drink soda, bubbles of carbon dioxide (CO2) cause the tingling sensation on your tongue. In addition to the physical sensation, the CO2 combines with your saliva to produce carbonic acid, which is an important flavor component of carbonated beverages. If you’ve ever taken a swig of flat soda […]

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Deceptive Desserts: Christine H. McConnell’s World of Creepy, Fantastical Food

Reddit_Main2 (1)Christine McConnell's latest cookbook combines her love of monsters and vintage style into one enticing collection of desserts.

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Maker Spotlight: Jay Kravitz

mg_6836-3-1100Jay has helped produce Maker Faire for years, but has been playing with fire and metal for many years beyond that.

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Thursday 22 September 2016

We’re Giving Away a Brick Pizza Oven, and It Might be to You

img_3299-1Coming to Maker Faire New York next weekend? Want a brick pizza oven? Let us know!

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Quick Tip: Perspective Drawing with String and a Paper Clip

perspective_1Using a simple string and hook to create dynamic perspective guidelines for drawing.

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Nepal Joins Maker Movement with Humanitarian-Focused Mini Maker Faire

kathmandu-v13This weekend, makers converge on Kathmandu, Nepal, to exchange ideas and inspire innovation around humanitarian efforts.

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Kids of All Ages Get Hands-On at Maker Faire Silver Spring

KID Museum Silver Spring Maker FaireThe KID Museum is hosting Maker Faire Silver Spring this weekend. There will be lots to do and make for kids of all ages.

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Fan-Made Transformers Movie Celebrates Cosplay and Practical Effects

GENERATION 1_HERO6.6.2016.mp4_000218072When Lior Molcho, saw that the Arizona Autobots group had over 20 members with costumes, he just knew he needed to film this.

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Local Music Project Survey: Digital Collections & Blogs

This is Part 2 of a two-part series in our local music survey brought to us by LAIP writer Bryan Voell. Part 1 featured physical collections of local music in public libraries.

by Bryan Voell

What is ‘local music’? It’s being defined and redefined everyday by an increasing number of public libraries. From analog archives documenting a region’s musical history to purely digital collections of streaming music accessible by everyone, local music collections are reaching wide audiences. While by no means comprehensive list, these are some of the most notable archival and/or digital local music projects at public libraries here and abroad.

Digital Music Projects

Volume Denver (Denver Public Library): http://ift.tt/1uSuYIB

volume-denver

Scope: While the emphasis is on Denver music, any Colorado artist is encouraged to submit their music to the project.

Features: More than 200 local albums with a broad range of genres.

Access: Song snippets are freely available regardless of membership. To hear full songs and create playlists, a DPL card is required.

Capital City Records (Edmonton Public Library): http://ift.tt/1DqDKGB

edmonton-local

Scope: Edmonton (Alberta, Canada)

Features: 76 and counting artists, many with bios and reviews. CCR’s gig poster archive is a trove of concert poster artwork that goes back to the 1970s.

Access: Free streaming for everyone. Downloads require EPL account.

Lawrence Music Project (Lawrence Public Library): http://ift.tt/2cw27cv

lawrencepl

Scope: Lawrence, Kansas

Features: With more than 100 albums, the Lawrence Music Project also serves as a digital archive of the city’s local music scene.

Access: Must have LPL card to access content.

 

Local Music Project (Iowa City Public Library): http://music.icpl.org/

icpl-music

Scope: Iowa City, Iowa, and the surrounding area

Features: Nearly 100 albums, covering everything from folk, bluegrass to rap, metal, ambient, jazz and more.

Access: 30 second song previews for non-ICPL card-holders. Those with accounts can download individual songs.

 

Yahara Music Library (Madison Public Library): http://ift.tt/1ndCdYz

yaharamusiclib

Scope: Madison, Wisconsin

Features: Nearly 65 albums and artists. Artist bios and reviews.

Access: Music is only streamable and downloadable by MPL card holders.

 

Download Nebraska (Omaha Public Library): http://ift.tt/1UbYkNd

ne-local-music

Scope: Open to all Nebraskan artists.

Features: 50+ albums. A collaboration between the Omaha Public Library and Hear Nebraska.

Access: Open streaming for everyone. Downloads exclusive to cardholders

 

SoundSwell (Santa Cruz Public Library): http://ift.tt/2cYIjvy

soundswell

Scope: Santa Cruz County

Features: 180+ albums.

Access: Utilizes SoundCloud to allow free streaming. Downloads are exclusive to cardholders.

 

 

PlayBack (Seattle Public Library): http://ift.tt/2cYIXJr

playback

Scope: Seattle, Washington

Features: This recently unveiled project features 50 albums

Access: Open streaming for everyone. Downloads with SPL card.

 

Wellington Music (Wellington City Libraries, NZ): http://ift.tt/2cYIvuX

wellington

Scope: Wellington, New Zealand

Features: “Both a history of Wellington music and bands [and] a page that can act as a repository for audio, video, photographic & other related material.” Music is presented via links to artists’ Bandcamp pages.

Access: Open to everyone.

 

Blogs:

Make Some Noise (Toronto Public Library): http://ift.tt/1p9EkM5

toronto

Scope: Covers both local Toronto and other Canadian artists

Features: Music reviews, artist profiles and TPL performance features. Mostly updated monthly.

Access: Open access to everyone.

 

Listen Local (Johnson County Library): http://ift.tt/2cYIVkV

listen-local

Scope: Greater Kansas City area

Features: Interviews with and recommendations from original local songwriters and composers

Access: Freely available to all

Bryan Voell is currently the Local Arts Librarian for the Johnson County (KS) Library. He received his MLIS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2007 and has worked for public, academic, and research libraries in various capacities since 1997. He is also a collage artist and you can see more of his art here.



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