Innovation Space with podcast room, 3D printers opens at Kevin Brady Library

The Montgomery County Memorial Library System on Feb. 19 marked the grand opening of the Innovation Space at the Kevin Brady Library in The Woodlands, a creative space including its Podcast Studio and an Innovation Lab with tools such as 3D printers.

What to expect

Part of the Innovate@MCMLS initiative, the space includes several 3D printers with different capacities, a 3D scanner, a large-format cutting machine, heat presses and a sublimation printer and other tools.

Innovation Space Specialist Austin Chandler said at the grand opening that the tools allow for a variety of projects, such as creating art or personalizing items, including printing images on mugs or tumblers. There is no charge for library patrons to use the tools except for the materials used in production, according to information from the library.

The podcast studio includes a digital mixer, green screen, microphones, studio lights, camera and software, and library patrons can book time to use the facility.

Quotes of note

"We need [libraries] more than ever," said Kevin Brady, who retired as representative of Texas' 8th Congressional District in 2022. "These are learning centers ... to expand your world. ... It's not just for kids, it's for adults, for small-business people, for seniors. The county has done a beautiful job with this library."

"What a great addition to our community," said Brad Bailey, chair of The Woodlands board of directors, before the event. "[Science, technology, engineering and math] is very important to our community, and I think that is something that is really going to add a lot to what makes The Woodlands great."