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MADISON COUNTY, Ala. – The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library will be inspiring creativity across Madison County this summer by teaching audiences about STEM and the wonders of 3D printing.

The downtown branch of the library bought a 3D printer with the Library Services Technology Grant, and they’re excited to share how it works and what it can do.

“Houses are built by 3D printing, prosthetics, kitchen tools, toy robots,” explains outreach coordinator Mandy Pinyan. “It’s really a whole awesome new world, and yet it’s still not a completely accessible technology.”

The 3D printer will be used in themed lessons, such as teaching children about teeth, propulsion, and atomic energy.

“Libraries are learning centers, so it’s cool to embrace technology and use it,” Pinyan said.

The printer was made as a teaching tool, so it can travel easily, be taken apart and put back together, and is transparent so everyone can see all the working parts, some of which are 3D-printed themselves.

As this printer travels to different library branches around Madison County, the hope is to inspire technology-driven creativity.

“There’s really no limits as far as their creativity and their scope of reach what they can create or make themselves,” Pinyan said of the things people can do with a 3D printer. “That whole maker culture is very exciting.”

The 3D printer will travel around to different Madison County library branches throughout the summer. You can learn more about the lesson plans and getting involved by calling your local library branch.