The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) have released “Progress in the Making: Librarians’ Practical 3D Printing Questions Answered” The document poses and answers sixteen practical questions related to establishing 3D printing as a library service.
(above: 3D printer @Pawling Free Library)
“Libraries represent the public on-ramp to the world of 3D printing and design,” said Dan Lee, chair of OITP’s Advisory Committee. “Library professionals who have adopted, or are looking to adopt, a 3D printer must answer questions related to printer operation and maintenance, workflow management, cost recovery, patron safety, and much more. Libraries are democratizing access to, and facilitating learning through, 3D printing technology, we need to make sure they have the necessary technical know-how to keep that trend going.”
