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Policy for the Vernon Area Public Library's new 3-D printers

The Vernon Area Public Library board is set to approve a patron policy for the new 3-D printers Monday.

Here's the proposed policy:

The Vernon Area Public Library District offers creative spaces and technology to give the community an opportunity to explore, learn, create, build and brainstorm new ideas for all skill levels and ages. It is a space to explore your imagination, test your entrepreneurial spirit, and troubleshoot do-it-yourself projects.

To align with this purpose, the Vernon Area Public Library enacts the following policy for 3-D printer operation:

1. Open to all Vernon Area Public Library card holders, regardless of age. Restriction of one print per month.

2. No patrons under any circumstance should handle the 3-D printer.

3. Ensure equal access and a consistent workflow with print jobs, accepted prints cannot exceed to 2 hours of printing time. Staff may attempt to resize prints to keep a print job under 2 hours. Multiple files submitted in compressed folders (ex. .zip folder) will be printed as time permits.

4. Print jobs take an average of two (2) weeks to complete. Due to the amount of time it takes to print an object, the number of requests received and staff availability, the library will not guarantee that a print job will be ready on a specific day.

5. Patrons should submit their designed or pre-made files (ex. .stl or .zip files) via online form to the Library. These files will then go to a designated 3-D printing email address for staff to print the files.

6. Submitted prints should not violate local, state, or federal law or the Library's Patron Behavior Policy and may be rejected if found to do so. Instances of unlawful purposes include:

a. Printing copyright objects (ex: lightsabers, Pokemon, etc.). Patrons do so at their own risk. Patrons must abide by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code) and patent law (Title 35, U.S. Code).

b. Unsafe, harmful, or dangerous items that are a threat to others.

7. The Library is not responsible for failed 3-D print jobs, but will assist patrons in completing a successful print. Patrons will be required to scrape off any supports themselves.

8. The Library will not be made liable for functional failure of a printed object, or injuries, or property damage caused by objects or materials made through the Library's 3-D printers. The Library strongly recommends that 3-D printers not be used to make objects that would be of significant cost if the print fails.

Source: Vernon Area Public Library

Vernon Area Library purchases 3-D printers

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