Makerspace

Mission + Vision

All humans are dreamers, creators, and achievers. Our mission is to provide the place, the tools, and the support to empower people to dream, create and achieve. The Scholars' Lab Makerspace is strategically situated within the UVA Library to be open, provide a low barrier of entry to making, and be a helpful resource of information, technology and support. Our space is open to everyone, including the public, and proactively encourages those in underrepresented academic studies, ethnicities, genders, economic classes and skill levels to come learn, make, and research.

The Makerspace staff provides consultations and instruction for all your electronics, crafting, textiles, laser cutting, and 3D printing projects whenever the Makerspace is open, or by appointment. Please drop in, or send inquiries to slabmakerspace@virginia.edu.

Or schedule a consultation with Ammon, manager of our Makerspace.

Hours + Location

Open Hours + Access

Map

The Scholars' Lab Makerspace is on the 3rd floor of Edgar Shannon Library, on the south end of Scholars' Lab. Click the map to view a larger version, or see a map showing where the Makerspace is on the 3rd floor of Shannon.

The Makerspace is located on the 3rd floor, East Wing, in the South end of the wing; at the south end of Scholars' Lab.

Subscribe to the weekly Makerspace newsletter!

Makerspace Resources

Using the Makerspace

The Makerspace is open to all UVA students, staff and faculty, as well as the general public. We hope you will find the equipment, resources, and support to help you MAKE anything (within reason) you want to make.

You can stop in any time during our open hours, or contact us at slabmakerspace@virginia.edu to schedule an appointment with a Makerspace Technologist or Scholars’ Lab staff to discuss your project.

Equipment

All equipment can be reserved for use in the Makerspace by visiting the equipment page.

You can also reserve equipment when you visit the Makerspace in person. Each tool has a QR code to scan for reservation.

All equipment is intended to use in the Makerspace and is not available for check out at this time. Don't see the equipment you need here? Visit makergrounds.virginia.edu for other shops, labs, and places for making at UVA.

Questions? Hesitant about joining us in the Makerspace? You belong here, and we're happy to meet with you, answer questions, and give you a tour to help you feel more at home. Email slabmakerspace@virginia.edu to let us know you're curious about our Makerspace.

Usage Policy

Anyone who uses the equipment in the Makerspace should fill out the User Agreement form provided by EHS before using equipment.

The Makerspace technology may only be used for lawful purposes. No one is permitted to create an object that is:

  • prohibited by local, state, or federal law
  • unsafe, harmful, dangerous, or poses an immediate threat to the well-being of others, including weapon accessories (See: UVA Weapons Policy)
  • obscene or otherwise inappropriate for the library environment. The Makerspace Technologists reserve the right to refuse requests based on the UVA Library Usage Policy, UVA general policies, or for any reason a Technologist feels is inappropriate
  • in violation of another's intellectual property rights (for example, you cannot reproduce material subject to copyright, patent, or trademark protection)
  • used for resale or other commercial purposes
  • defective or poorly suited for equipment in the Makerspace
The Library and Technologists reserve the right to refuse any request.

Faculty Consultations + Course Integrations

Our Makerspace is an active participant in academic research. We support scholars' independent and collaborative work to explore, understand, and report on emerging technologies, methodologies, and pedagogies in a variety of disciplines. We love working with faculty to support class projects! Send your requests and ideas to our Makerspace Manager Ammon Shepherd.

What's in the makerspace

See our full list of equipment, including electronics and crafting equipment, on the Makerspace Equipment Reservation site.

Buttons

We have two different sized button makers; 1.5-inch and 2.25-inch. Button supplies provided by the Makerspace are intended for individual, personal use. Due to the popularity and cost of button supplies, there is a 12 button per person per semester limit.

Clubs and other organizations who would like to make more than 12 buttons can purchase their own supplies and use our button presses. The 2.25-inch button kit from ButtonMakers.net is the recommended option.

Textiles

We have two Bernina 350 Series sewing machines and a Juki MO-644D serger available for reservation or walk-in use.

Click a sewing machine below to check availability or reserve:

3D Printing

We have five FFF style printers and one Resin (SLA) printer available for reservation. To use the printers, you can come in during open hours for in-person training and on-the-spot reservation.

Reserving a printer outside of open hours requires approval of a Makerspace Technologist. Speak with the Technologist on duty to extend your time outside of open hours.

In order to reserve the FFF printers before coming to the Makerspace, you will need to complete an on-line certification.

3D Printer Certification

Resin printer certification is forthcoming.

Self-service 3D printing is also available through the 3D Printing Studio in the Robertson Media Center in Clemons Library. To use the printers there, you need to complete an online training, then reserve a 3D printer during their open hours. Email teachlearn@virginia.edu with any questions.

The 3D printers are completely different from each other in each space, so training on 3D Printing Studio printers does not automatically grant access to the Makerspace printers.

Click a printer below to check availability or reserve:

Laser Cutting

Our laser cutter is available by reservation. Send a request to slabmakerspace@virginia.edu and describe your project and materials you would like to use.

You must provide your own materials for engraving or cutting. See below for the list of approved materials:

Click the laser cutter below to check availability or reserve:

Learning Resources

Workshops

Self-directed tutorials

Makerspace Technologists

Student Technologists

  • Melorra Arthur: Button Making
  • Julian Cordero: 3D Printing, Button Making
  • Fatima Elalami: Crafting, Button Making
  • Link Fu: Button Making, Stickers, Textiles, Crafting, Cosplay
  • Yejun Kim: 3D Printing, Electronics, CAD, Button Making
  • Leah Phan: CAD, Button Making, Stickers, Stamps, Paper Crafts
  • Arturo Romero: Social Media
  • Tingyo Tan: CAD, Desktop CNC, 3D Printing, Electronics, Photogrammetry, Laser Cutter, Button Making
  • Amy Tran: Jewelry, Crafting, Button Making
  • Jennifer Truong: Button Making, Stickers, Wacom Drawing Tablet, Digital Artwork
  • Daniel Velasquez-Lemus: Button Making, 3D Printing
  • Adrian Villanueva: Button Making, 3D Printing
  • Mara Williams: Sewing, Crafting, Button Making
  • Hunter Zoller: 3D Printing, Laser Cutter, Button Making
  • Hans Yang: 3D Printing, Button Making

Critical Making Fellow

  • Holly Zhou: Programming, Poetry, Project Management

Makerspace Volunteers

  • Danial Butt: Laser Cutter, 3D Printing
  • Mike Dertke:
  • Saeema Habibzai: 3D Printing
  • Sarah Hemler: 3D Printing, Solidworks and AutoDesk, Electronics, Photoshop Software and Drawing Tablets, Audacity and Musescore, Button Making
  • Qianqian Shao: Fabrics, Textiles, Sewing, Button Making, Crafting
  • James Xu: Sewing

Makerspace Manager & Lead Research Technologist

  • Ammon Shepherd: 3D Printing, Electronics, Programming, Web Development, Sewing, Laser Cutter, CNC Router, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, 3D Modeling, Crafting, Button Making, Digital Humanities

Scholars’ Lab Staff Technologists

  • Laura Miller: 3D Printing, Photogrammetry, Digital Humanities
  • Shane Lin: 3D Printing, Programming, Digital Humanities
  • Jeremy Boggs: 3D Printing, Electronics, Programming, Digital Humanities
  • Amanda Visconti: Digital Humanities, Resin Casting, Letterpress