The University of Mississippi IDEAlab “makerspace” gives students resources to unleash their creativity. Founded in 2018 and located on the first floor of the J.D. Williams Library, the lab gives students access to a variety of hardware for free, arming them with machines to create game day pins, 3D figures, posters and textiles. The lab’s staff also provides workshops to help students create designs online.
Sarah Katherine Glass, the lab’s director, said the lab has made creative resources on campus accessible.
“I believe the IDEAlab makerspace is an important part of the Ole Miss community because it allows students and UM employees access to resources regardless of their background,” Glass said.
Glass also emphasized that students need no prior experience to take advantage of the lab’s offerings.
“Our doors are open to anyone from beginners to experts. We want the IDEAlab to be a place where curiosity and creativity can thrive,” Glass said.
The lab’s resources have made a real difference in helping students execute their academic ambitions, especially in the STEM field, according to Glass.
“I have had several biology students use the IDEAlab makerspace’s 3D printers to make what I’ve lovingly referred to as ‘the fashion accessories for animals’ series, which started when a student used the 3D printers and circuitry equipment to create tracking collars for raccoons to study their movements,” Glass said. “After that, another student used the 3D printers to make radio-tracking backpacks and sensor anklets for birds.”
This year, the IDEAlab expanded to include a station located in room 113 on the first floor of the library. The station, which is in a separate location from the lab itself, allows students to create their own game day pins.
Cristina Nogueira, a sophomore finance major from Trumbull, Conn., was able to make her own game day pins before Ole Miss’ football game against LSU.
“It is such a nice way to get the community together. Because then when I see someone at the Grove wearing those pins, I’ll think, ‘You got it at the library, too,’” Trumbull said.
Students, like Nogueira, are excited to create their own pins without needing to place a bulk online order or own personal button-making machines. Jakya Ellis, a senior business administration major from Kosciusko, Miss., enjoys using the IDEALab.
“You can do so much here,” Ellis said. “The fact that students don’t have to pay for an unlimited number of pins is really great and convenient.”
To visit the IDEAlab makerspace, students can go to the first floor of the J.D. Williams Library then walk all the way to the back; there are also signs pointing to the IDEAlab. The IDEAlab’s hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The IDEAlab craves students and their creations as much as the students crave an outlet for their most unique ideas.
Upcoming workshops can be found on the library’s website through UM Libraries – Library Calendar – University of Mississippi Libraries.
