Published in the Independence Daily Reporter, May 11, 2016

There’s a philosophy involved with operating Fab Labs and Maker Spaces that helps make them a special and positive experience for most users as they learn by doing.

Although not a registered trademark, “Fab Lab” (Fabrication Lab) is generally a reference to a type of Maker Space.  For most of us, “Maker Space” is a more generic term for a space set up to allow people to make things.

The philosophy of most Fab Labs is patterned after the first Fab Lab initiated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) circa 2000.  Neil Gershenfeld, director of the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT, grew tired of seeing smart students in his classes that couldn’t do anything with their hands.  He put together a fabrication laboratory so that students could begin to learn how to manifest their ideas into physical reality (i.e. make things).  Then came a fabrication lab for the community in South Boston.  Barcelona, Spain set up a community “Fab Lab” not long after and the International Fab Lab Network (IFLN) was born.

When we decided to create Fab Lab ICC in the spring of 2014, there were fewer than 200 Fab Lab members in the IFLN.  Today, there are over 600.  The growth of Fab Labs and Maker Spaces in the world is exploding as people in communities realize the positive and sometimes astounding effects that “making things” has on people’s self-confidence.  It doesn’t seem to matter what age, stage or walk of life, the Fab Lab experience does wonders for all; young, old, gifted, challenged, technical or artistic.

The IFLN charter, to which we ascribe in order to belong to the network, requires that the Fab Lab facility be available to the community.  We interpret that to mean in “an affordable manner”.  We are a hybrid academic-community Fab Lab and we are committed to being open to the community at least half of normal business hours each week.  We are open Monday through Thursday, 1:00pm to 8:00pm, Friday 1:00pm – 5:00pm and Saturday, 9:00am – 1:00pm.  That’s 36 hours each week.  The rest of the work week is available for classes and by appointment to members.

“Affordable” means that an individual can belong to Fab Lab ICC for $100 per year, have access to all machines and only pay for or provide the materials used.  Other categories are available and are also affordable.  The membership fees alone will not sustain the on-going operation, especially considering the cost of staffing and machine repair/replacement.  We’ll always depend partially on donations and grants.  We’ll never be fully staffed as you would expect in a well-run restaurant or hotel, but due to our nature of being a “do-it-yourself” institution, it works.  Our staff, always thin, helps out as we can.  Our members help each other and in the process learn better themselves.  We all work together to keep Fab Lab ICC safe, clean and ready for everyone’s next project.

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