ALTOONA, Iowa — When you walk into a library, you're used to seeing shelves filled with all sorts of books. But a 3D printer? That's something you don't see every day.
"Our IT director for the city said, 'You know, we could use some expanded WiFi, the real nuts and bolts stuff that helps people every day.' And I said, 'Oh, and also, I could use the 3D printer. And I could use a bunch of robots,'" said Kim Kietzman, Director of the Altoona Public Library.
And that's what the Altoona Public Library's new "Maker Hub" has to offer. On April 15, the library hosted a "Tech Fest" event to show off what the hub has to offer.
3D Printers, Oculus virtual reality headsets, and robot playsets that community members are actually able to code & program were just a few of the offerings. Library officials say they want to provide a home for that sort of technology without any financial restrictions.
"In this setting, it's open access to anybody on an equal basis. It's equitable, so anyone who wants to explore careers or try coding in a safe environment that does not cost them anything," Kietzman said.
Ryan Castelline brought his daughters to try out some of the new additions. He said that one is actually an aspiring software developer, and he's grateful to have a place for her to learn so close to home.
"It's really good to have these kinds of alternative resources. Just I think any kind of exposure to technology, especially in such a positive way is a good thing for them growing up," Castelline said.
The Maker Hub was funded by a grant from Facebook's parent company Meta and a private local donor. Officials hope families like Castelline's can put their new tools to use to stay ready for whatever the future has in store.
"These are skills that everyone is going to need going forward, as we can see careers are becoming more and more complicated with tech, and access is access," Kietzman said.
The Maker Hub will be used to host specific events like the Tech Fest to start off, but library officials say that availability will increase as they learn more about managing all of the new technology.