FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Old Bridge Public Library Awarded Contract to Build Idea Farm Makerspace

Library expands from learning to making

[Old Bridge, NJ] The Old Bridge Public Library has been awarded a $10,000 contract from the New Jersey State Library. This award will fund the Old Bridge Library Idea Farm - a technology workshop and demonstration garden following the "makerspace" model.  Thirty-eight libraries applied for contract awards ranging from $3,750 to $12,500. The Old Bridge Library Idea Farm is scheduled to open in late April.

The Old Bridge Library Idea Farm will focus on three areas determined by survey feedback from the Old Bridge community: handicrafts, emergent technologies, and self-sustainability via garden and kitchen skills.

The Old Bridge Library Idea Farm is part of the recent Makerspace movement in public libraries. Makerspaces embrace creation-focused learning that emphasizes science, technology, engineering, art, and math skills. "The contemporary Makerspace movement is really about creating community spaces where people can learn by doing and engage in exploration and creativity using digital and analog technologies. Such spaces can both enrich and empower library users' lives," said Mary Chute, NJ State Librarian. "It's an extension of the library's mission - a place of lifelong learning and community engagement ..."

The Idea Farm workshop will be an open community area and tool collection for individual and group projects. This workshop will house a 3-D printer, vinyl cutter, soldering station, sewing machine station, programmable microcontrollers, Lego Robotics kits and more...