View Project

G2S Project Code: 2021-CA-87987
State: California
Fiscal Year: 2021

Grantee
BEAUMONT LIBRARY DISTRICT

Project Director
Director Name: Luren Dickinson
Director Phone: (951) 845-1357
Director Email: luren.dickinson@bld.lib.ca.us

General Information
Title: 3D Design Coaching
State Project Code: 40-9265
Start Date: 07/01/2021
End Date: 09/30/2022
Abstract: The Beaumont Library created space, purchased 3D technology, and provided tutoring for library patrons and other community members to learn about 3D design and modeling and 3D printing. The Library's goal was to bridge the digital divide, especially for those interested in 3D printing, and provide services for those who do not have the resources and technology at home, and to expand opportunities for disadvantaged community members while raising awareness of technology programs and services offered by the Library.

State Goal: Goal 1: Equitable Access

Budget Information

LSTA

MATCH-State

MATCH-Other

Total

$5,600.00

$0.00

$3,980.00

$9,580.00

Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Digital Literacy

Activities
Activity Details
Title: Description: Cataloged Reference Material
Narrative: The Library cataloged seventeen (17) printed reference materials focused around 3D modeling, 3D design, and 3D printing to be made available to the public in order to supplement learning done during 3D design coaching sessions. Materials were part of a reference collection and located in the space set aside for 3D design coaching sessions.

Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Content
Mode: Description
Format: Digital

Quantity
Number of items made discoverable to the public: 17
Number of collections made discoverable to the public: 0
Number of metadata plans/frameworks produced/updated: 0

Partner Information

Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No

Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No

Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General

Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: BEAUMONT LIBRARY DISTRICT
Address: 125 E. EIGHTH ST.
City: BEAUMONT
State: CA
Zip: 92223

Activity Details
Title: Acquisition: Digital Equipment & Reference Materia
Narrative: Library purchased one (1) Prusa i3 MK3s+ 3D printer, one (1) upgrade kit for the 3D printer, one (1) performance PC for 3D modeling with associated accessories (keyboard, mouse, etc.), twenty-five (25) rolls of filament for the 3D printer, and seventeen (17) printed reference material for a complimentary reference collection. These items were purchased in order to facilitate the 3D design coaching sessions and ensure that participants following up had access to the necessary technology and print resources to act on what was learned.

Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Content
Mode: Acquisition
Format: Physical

Quantity
Number of hardware acquired: 28
Number of software acquired: 0
Number of licensed databases acquired: 0
Number of print materials (books & government documents) acquired: 17
Number of electronic materials acquired: 0
Number of audio/visual units (audio discs, talking books, other recordings) acquired: 0

Partner Information

Activity Details
Title: Consultation: Coaching Session
Narrative: The Project Coordinator organized and taught one-on-one 3D design Coaching Sessions by appointment only. Sessions were offered to all community members, scheduled for one hour, and were conducted both in-person at the library as well as online over Zoom. The goal of this program was to provide instruction and technological resources for those patrons interested in pursuing 3D design as an interest, hobby, or profession, but who were financially or otherwise incapable of procuring the necessary resources on their own, or who were interested but needed a jumping-off point for their education in the subject.

Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Consultation/drop-in/referral
Format: Combined in-person & virtual

Quantity
Total number of consultation/reference transactions: 7
Average number of consultation/reference transactions per month: 2

Partner Information

Activity Details
Title: Presentation/Performance: 3D Printer Petting Zoo
Narrative: The Project Coordinator organized and hosted a bi-weekly 3D Printer Petting Zoo session in order to raise awareness of the Library’s 3D printing and 3D Design Coaching programs. The purchased 3D printer was set up in a publicly accessible space and demonstrated by the Project Coordinator, who also answered questions of interested patrons in the Library. The Petting Zoo was a drop-in event requiring no registration and no time commitment on behalf of the participants.

Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: In-person

Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 120
Number of presentations/performances administered: 8
Average number in attendance per session: 10

Partner Information

Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Using the Library's online event calendar, Library staff developed and implemented a simple method of scheduling appointments between patrons and staff for the 3D Design Coaching sessions. Library staff found this process so easy to use and so well received among staff members and patrons alike that there are now plans to expand it into a more generalized "Schedule a Librarian" program, wherein patrons with all manner of issues, technology, research, or otherwise, can now schedule an appointment with a dedicated staff member in the same way that they would a 3D Design Coaching session.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
While the Beaumont Library District has strived to meet patron needs in a variety of ways, the library's small number of staff and limited space often mean that impromptu questions from patrons fall by the wayside or are answered inadequately to meet the patron's needs. The ability to have these questions asked in advance allows Librarians and other staff members to more carefully budget their time and, as a result, more fully answer sundry question and issues from all patrons in need of assistance, and not only those patrons attending the Library's calendar programs. In doing so, the Library also becomes more available to patrons with specific scheduling needs, as Librarians more suited to particular tasks (e.g. a Technology Librarian assisting with an eBook issue) can rearrange their own schedule as needed to accommodate patron availability if needed with advance notice, rather than vice versa.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
When helping patrons during scheduled 3D Design appointments, it was important to be generally knowledgeable on the subject and not stuck primarily to a pre-established script or lesson plan. Many patrons arrived with vastly different goals, interest levels, and levels of expertise to learn about 3D Design. Hence, approaching the topic of tutoring with a one-size-fits-all approach of walking patrons through the basic process of 3D Design to 3D Printing was quickly found to be insufficient to some patrons' needs (in particular those requesting assistance with specific designs they wanted created and printed), and far too detailed for others (in particular those only specifically interested in learning one particular 3D Design software, or those only interested in printing a design they had already found). It was far more useful to approach patrons first with the question "What do you want to accomplish?" and to work from there to accomplish their specific goals, rather than treating the appointment as a generalized instruction period (unless, of course, that is what the patron requested).
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:

Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative

Project Tags: 3D Design, Community, Digital Divide