One year of innovation

Put on your thinking cap because Oct. 17 marks the one-year anniversary of the Innovation Station at the Levittown Public Library.

The library will be hosting a celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to acknowledge the new electronic and science-based area of the library that was funded through an educational grant last year.

Various activities such as sewing, embroidery and baking classes, craft-making using an electronic paper-cutting machine, and creating videos using a GoPro are planned for this Saturday. There will even be an adult coloring program and a chance to try out all of the new machinery at the station.

“Anyone can come in and use our equipment,” media coordinator Lisa Santer said. “We do charge a fee, but it’s just to replenish the supplies.”

The year-old station located in the basement of the library holds up to 24 people and is available to community members of all ages. The library, which serves North Wantagh and part of northern Seaford, welcomes children, families and organized groups such as Scout troops and sewing clubs to use the equipment.

“A lot of schools from the elementary level all the way up through grade 12 are starting to adopt robotics programs,” technology specialist Christopher Jelley said. “And we have several kits that we will be featuring during the Innovation Station celebration.

“Some of the kids that may not have the programs in their school or need somewhere to go after school can come here and create, explore and open the doors to the wonderful world of robotics,” Jelley added, noting that there is software on the iMac computers and different control modules for various projects.

The station also includes a 3-D printer that can create almost anything off of a single computer-based image.

“Most people that come in want to make something cute,” Santer said. “But we are getting a lot of high school students who are taking classes that need the 3-D printer and are using Sketch-up, a software used to design buildings and items.