Tech Center
The purpose of the Today’s Business Solutions,Inc. Tech Center is to provide Orland Park Public Library cardholders and reciprocal borrowers in good standing with a space where they may use various digital media technologies which support their educational, professional, and personal goals and endeavors.
Patrons must leave their Orland Park Public Library card or reciprocal borrower card with the IT staff at the IT Commons service desk while using the equipment. The specific equipment being used will be checked out on the card while the patron occupies the Tech Center.
3D Printing
The Orland Park Public Library has multiple 3D Printers. The Bambu Lab X1C is for general 3D printing, the MakerBot Replicator is for very basic print jobs, and the MakerBot Method is for high detail and prototyping/engineering print jobs.
For designing 3D models and preparing them for printing, the library recommends Tinkercad, especially for beginners, or you can find a model yourself on Thingiverse.com. When your project is ready for printing, it must be submitted to maker@orlandparklibrary.org. In your email, please specify a color of filament for your print; contact the library via email at maker@orlandparklibrary.org or call (708) 428-5171 to check on which colors we currently have in stock. The library can print in solid colors in basic polylactic acid (PLA) or print in up to 4 colors for a single job. Solid color or 2 color prints cost $.10 per gram, and prints with 3 or 4 colors cost $0.20 per gram, and the estimated cost can be provided before printing starts. Multi-color printing does use significantly more filament as the extruder will need to change the color for each layer printed. Please note, only cash payment can be accepted for 3D prints. The library reserves the right to reject any project for any reason, including copyright infringement; please do not submit projects that contain copyrighted material(s) or items prohibited by state or federal law.
VHS-to-DVD Converter
Patrons can transfer VHS tapes of all their favorite family movies and preserve their memories. This machine works with blank DVD-R disks. Patrons can bring their own blank DVD-R disks or purchase them from the library. No copyright infringement will be allowed; you must own the rights to the video footage you plan to transfer.
Check this video tutorial for more help on how to use the VHS-to-DVD Converter.
To schedule a time to use the VHS-to-DVD Converter, call (708) 428-5171.
Glowforge
The Glowforge is a 3D laser printer used for engraving designs on various materials. For more information on the Glowforge and how it works, please visit their website. Projects for the Glowforge can be created using a variety of software and the Glowforge can print using a variety of file types, however, JPEG and PNG are the two most popular. When your project is ready for fabrication, it must be submitted to maker@orlandparklibrary.org.
There is no cost for printing on the Glowforge, however, patrons must provide their own design and materials. Only approved materials from the Glowforge store will be used. The library reserves the right to reject any project design or material(s) for any reason, including copyright infringement; please do not submit projects that contain copyrighted material(s).
To schedule a time to use the Glowforge, call (708) 428-5171.
Cricut Maker
Another new addition to the library’s services is a Cricut Maker, which is a “smart cutting device” used for creating elaborate crafts and art projects. For more information on this machine, visit the Cricut website. Projects for the Cricut Maker must be created using the Cricut Design Space and can be submitted to maker@orlandparklibrary.org once they are ready for fabrication.
There is no cost for printing on the Cricut Maker, however, patrons must provide their own design and materials. There are many Cricut materials available for purchase at local craft stores and online. The library will accept materials that are not Cricut brand materials with the exception of iron-on vinyl and window-cling; these materials must be Cricut brand materials. The library reserves the right to reject any project design or material(s) for any reason, including copyright infringement; please do not submit projects that contain copyrighted material(s).
To schedule a time to use the Cricut Maker, call (708) 428-5171.
Shredder (Currently Out Of Order)
The library has added a shredder for public use in our Tech Center.
Checking in with the Computer Help Desk prior to shredder usage is required.
The shredder is for paper only. No staples, envelopes, paper clips, binder clips, plastic/laminated sheet coverings, bulldog clips, spiral bindings, labels, or magazines are allowed.
Shredding can be done by manually feeding pages through the top slot, up to 10 pages at a time, or from the large auto-feed paper tray, which can hold up to 300 sheets of 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper. Just note, the auto-feed tray, can take 6-8 minutes to complete, which is noticeably slower than feeding through the top slot.
One-time, single-feed shredding needs will be open to anyone on a first come, first served basis. Any shredding needs requiring multiple feeds or the automatic feed function will only be open to Orland Park Public Library card holders and reciprocal borrowers. It is highly recommended that shredder usage be scheduled.
To schedule a time to use the shredder, call (708) 428-5171.
Laminator
The Laminator in the Tech Center is intended for use by Orland Park Public Library card holders and reciprocal borrowers. The intended use is to laminate documents no larger than letter (8.5’’x11’’) in size. All plastic sleeves, staples, paper clips, and binder clips should be removed before inserting them into the feeder.
Reservations are highly encouraged but walk-ins are welcome as long as no other patron is currently using the device. To schedule a time to use the laminator, call (708) 428-5171.
Cost: The first laminator sleeve is free to use, but any additional sleeves will be $.10 per sleeve. To ensure the longevity of the laminator, patrons will not be allowed to use their own plastic sleeves, only the ones provided by the library.
Portta VHS to Digital Converter
The Portta VHS to Digital Converter is a device designed to be used in conjunction with either the Tech Center Funai VCR or any other media playing device with HDMI, A/V, or S-Video outputs. Video and/or audio can be recorded from its original format to a digital format such as MP4 video or MP3 audio file. This is done in real time similar to VHS to DVD recording. This device, however, saves content to a USB flash drive or micro SD card, NOT to a disc. No copyright infringement will be allowed, as you must own the rights to the content that is being transferred.
Other Available Items
(for Orland Park Public Library card holders and reciprocal borrowers)
- Mac Studio M2 Max w/ Studio Display (full Adobe Creative Cloud suite installed)-NEW
- One MacBook Air, 13″ display (to be checked out and used within the library)
- One MacBook Pro, 13″ display (to be checked out and used within the library)
- Two Dell Laptops, 15″ display and Microsoft 2016 suite (to be checked out and used within the library)
- Dell Optiplex 7480 PC with 27″ display (full Adobe Creative Cloud suite installed)
- Epson V600 flatbed Scanner for photos, slides, and filmstrips
- EzCap USB Casette Capture Converter
- Wolverine F2D Mighty Film to Digital Converter
- Turntable for converting vinyl records to MP3s
- Sennheiser Noise Canceling Headphones
- Blue Yeti USB Microphone
No food or drinks will be allowed in the Tech Center.
Please call the Computer Desk at (708) 428-5171 to learn more about equipment and availability.
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