LBCC's Maker Space Workshops - "Lunch and Learn"

At a Glance: Maker Space Lunch and Learn

What: Lunch and Learn with Jo Ann Yonemura

When: Wednesday, March 1

Where: Takena Hall, Room 229, LBCC Albany Campus, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW

Website: www.midvalleystem.org

For More Information: Forrest Johnson at Mill@linnbenton.edu

Administrative Assistant Jo Ann Yonemura hosting a workshop on card making

LBCC’s new Maker and Innovator Learning Lab provides students, faculty, and the Albany community a space on campus to explore their creative side.

Jo Ann Yonemura works as an administrative assistant at the academic foundations office. During her lunch period, she provided a presentation on her hobby, card making.

Yonemura’s presentation is a part of the MILL’s “Lunch and Learn” series of guest hosted demonstrations. “Lunch and Learn” is an opportunity for anyone to participate in a brief workshop as an introduction to new skills and crafts.

In her presentation, Yonemura showed the process on how to make a variety of cards, homemade scrapbooks and other papercraft projects. 

Cards and other paper-crafts made by Jo Ann Yonemura, Lorraine Lara, Kathwren Hays, Tracy Hughes, and Gail Wise

The MILL is a maker space, a collaborative work space inside a school, library or separate public or private facility for making, learning, exploring and sharing. The MILL at LBCC has the capability to host a variety of craft making, not just paper-making.

The MILL has 3D printers, CNC machines and laser cutters for rapid prototyping. It has shop tools for traditional construction. There are sewing materials and a heavy duty sewing machine. Paper-craft tools, painting supplies and printmaking machines are available. 

There is a dedicated AV suite at the MILL with the equipment for podcasting, vlogging, and voice acting. Computers with adobe software are available to edit the audio and video captured in the suite. 

MILL Coordinator Forrest Johnson spoke about the value of providing these tools to the LBCC community, “I’m a librarian, so I view this as a different type of library.”

The goal of the MILL extends beyond LBCC. Johnson has plans to extend availability of the maker space to the greater Albany community. This community involvement could include events hosted at the local K-12 schools.

The reception of the new maker space from students has been positive. Student Clayton Lynch dropped by the MILL and had this to say, “It is enjoyable to have a space to be creative in.”

The MILL provides a supplementary resource for classes held at LBCC. Johnson has communicated with teachers at LBCC to provide resources for classes and clubs.

Yonemura was grateful to be able to come in and give a workshop on something she is passionate about. “We have such stressful jobs. It’s really nice to have a space, like the maker space, to be able to come and be creative.”

The MILL is open Tuesday to Thursday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Appointments can be made by contacting Forrest Johnson at  Mill@linnbenton.edu. Event information can be found at https://www.midvalleystem.org/news/.