[OPLINLIST] 3D printing, beyond bunnies

[SWON Info]

In the box for SWON's 3D printer 
<http://swonlibraries.org/?page=tech_to_lend> sits a broken iPhone case. 
It was made by the printer, in bright blue plastic, but it's split near 
the space where you'd plug headphones in. This isn't surprising---the 
hard plastic used by the printer can't flex enough for the iPhone to 
squeeze in without splitting---but it is instructive.

That's why I talk about that iPhone case every time I take it to another 
library. We want people to understand how the printer works, what it 
does well and what its printed pieces are like. And we hope seeing a 3D 
printer in action will get people into problem-solving mode.

There are lots of examples of problems that 3D printers have helped 
solve. Here's a slide-in mount for a smartphone 
<http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:55497> that attaches your phone to a 
tripod. It doesn't need to flex, so it won't break, and it's very useful 
for recording videos. Here's a camera-to-telescope adapter 
<http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:78930> for a Sony NEX camera. Attach 
to your camera's lens mount, slide it onto your telescope, and make 
amazing photos of the moon.

And here's an HD TV antenna 
<https://www.youmagine.com/designs/single-bay-atsc-digital-hd-tv-antenna>, 
assembled with the help of a few bolts and screws and ten feet of 
aluminum wire, that closely resembles our antenna at home at about 
1/10th the cost.

I like these projects because they encourage people to do more than 
print dollar store bric-a-brac. They can help people realize that they 
could build the solution to their problem. That's a great first step for 
a 3D printer library program to aspire to take.

  * Nathan Swartzendruber, SWON Technology Educator

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    3D printing at the Staff Training Symposium

Put on your thinking cap and join us at the Staff Training Symposium for 
a session on 3D printing. You'll see our 3D printer in action and learn 
how small errors can take it out of action. You'll get your hands on 
models we've printed, and together we'll brainstorm to think of problems 
the 3D printer could help solve.

The Symposium this spring is a nice mix of technical and personal 
sessions. You can learn about healthy eating on the run and helpful 
stances on customer service, and pick up some emerging technologies 
know-how. Join us May 12th 
<http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=526898&group=> for 
all this and some fun!

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    Civic hacking and mapmaking

Though there are satellite images of the entire world 
<https://www.fort.usgs.gov/sites/landsat-imagery-unique-resource/case-studies/mapbox-innovating-landsat>, 
it takes people to translate those pictures into maps. Maps are a 
critical tool when disasters strike. Typhoons, ebola & cholera 
outbreaks, cyclones, refugees in crisis: these are maps in the process 
of being made right now <http://tasks.hotosm.org> through the 
Humanitarian OpenStreetmap Team.

You can join them! Come to SWON's Level-Up Lab on Humanitarian Mapping, 
May 6 
<http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=599097&group=>, 
and Nathan will introduce the simple browser-based software you'll use. 
All it really takes is attention to detail. Oh, and a laptop (which we 
have). Let's draw a map together.

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    Coming up on the calendar
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_list.asp>

  * *MS Publisher Projects
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=593517&group=>*
    April 28, 2015 - Boone County Public Library, Main Branch
  * *Adult Planning and Services (Special Interest Group) Meeting
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=509816&group=>*
    May 4, 2015 - Dayton Metro Temporary Main Branch
  * *Hackathons: An Innovative Approach to Digital Instruction
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=608462&group=>*
    May 5, 2015 - Online
  * *More Than Crafts: Implementing Learning Activities and Experiences
    in Your Storytimes
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=608486&group=>*
    May 5, 2015 - Online
  * *Level-Up Lab: Teaching Patrons Humanitarian Mapping
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=599097&group=>*
    May 6, 2015 - SWON Meeting Room
  * *ROYAL Literature Review (Special Interest Group) Meeting
    <http://swonlibraries.org/events/event_details.asp?id=517334&group=>*
    May 7, 2015 - Kenton County Public Library, Covington Branch

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