In 2019, the HJH Foundation installed a 3D Printer Makerspace in the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca with the goal that the acquired skills will be used to support the needs of local businesses and the community. The 3D printing technology allows for the creation of items that are in demand but not easily available, thus providing a promising entrepreneurial opportunity not only for the SJDS Biblioteca but also for those who are trained to use the new technology and for local businesses. The 3D printer project is one of the first in Nicaragua and is a scalable and replicable project. Training for business aspects and proficiency in the 3D print functions is ongoing. The SJDS Library has a designated space for this endeavor called the Sueños3D Printing Center.
Initiation of the program
University of Maryland librarians Patricia Herron and Lily Griner, and Makerspace Director Preston Tobery traveled to San Juan del Sur in 2018 to present a training course in 3D printing.
The goal of the course was two-fold:
- To enable the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca to develop a 3D printing business to help sustain the Library
- To train students and other interested members of the community in the use of this new technology
Victor Zuniga, the Systems Administrator for Poudre River Public Library District in Ft. Collins, Colorado, which is the sister library to San Juan del Sur Biblioteca, acted as translator during the training course.
With Victor translating, Preston was able to teach library staff, Edwin, Denis, and Jhossy how to use and troubleshoot the 3D printers. Three years later, in the spring of 2021, Wiston joined the library staff and was trained to use the 3D printer. Wiston was very excited about the technology and the opportunity to learn how to use it.
Additional Training and 3D Printing Center Expansion
In 2021, Preston Tobery returned to Nicaragua to bring some additional supplies and to do another round of training. An important mission of the HJH Libraries for All is to provide educational opportunities to local Nicaraguan communities. The establishment of the 3D printer center provided us with a unique opportunity to offer 3D printer training to community members. With this goal in mind, we applied for and received a small grant from the American Library Association’s International Relations Round Table (IRRT) to develop and offer an ongoing series of training modules on 3D printing to local students. In anticipation of these classes, we enlarged and redesigned the 3D printing center to better accommodate groups of 4 to 5 student learners.
The first 3D printer course is taught to local students
The IRRT grant was also used to develop a three tier course for twelve students of middle school age. In January 2022, Wiston began the first series of classes for four girls who were very excited to learn about this new technology. The course forms the foundation of future classes which will be offered to the middle and high schoolers in SJDS and the nearby schools.
