The Chester County Library & District Center announces that it has been awarded a Creation grant for $36,212 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Wolf, Governor.

This funding project will allow the Chester County Library to create a Digital Media Lab/Makerspace area as an addition to its Jacobs Technology Center.  With this grant the Chester County Library will purchase state of the art equipment and software to foster experimentation, invention, creation and exploration in teens and adults.  The center will deliver creative STEAM-based learning opportunities to help teens with school projects to prepare for the future while assisting adults in their job seeking, career and entrepreneurial path to achieving success.

In addition to the public computers and basic software currently housed in the Jacobs Technology Center, the digital media lab/makerspace area will be furnished with a wide array of technically sophisticated equipment and products to give patrons the ability to create in the areas of architecture, industrial and mechanical engineering, graphic arts, photography and videography, gaming and toy design, and web and app design.   Group learning sessions and one-on-one training will be developed and made available to demonstrate and assist patrons with the use of the software and equipment.

The Chester County Library as the largest library in the Chester County Library System models the future of libraries by aspiring to be a community center where people gather to share ideas, nurture creativity and learn new skills.  Through this grant, patrons and non-users will begin to recognize the library as a place to create and collaborate.  The Digital Media Lab/Makerspace will be opening in early 2017.