FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nicole Parisi Eberle
Find out what's happening in Sayville-Bayportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Makerspace Coordinator, Learning Commons
Connetquot Public Library
Find out what's happening in Sayville-Bayportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
August 31, 2020
CONNETQUOT PUBLIC LIBRARY PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT INITIATIVE
(BOHEMIA, NY) - In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Connetquot Public Library is 3D printing face shields and no-touch tools for our members, on request, free of charge.
Our goal with this personal protective equipment, or PPE initiative, is to limit the exposure of COVID-19 for our library members and staff. The face shield is intended to be worn as an extra layer of protection and in conjunction with the traditional face mask. As per the CDC, face shields are not recommended for use as a substitute for cloth face coverings. The no-touch tool allows users to easily open doors with its hooked design and use touch screens like ATMs or time clocks without physical contact.
The no-touch tools and the face shield headbands are printed on the library’s Prusa MK3S 3D printer located in our recently developed makerspace area, the Learning Commons. Prusa Research developed the design and prototype for the face shield headband. These objects, including the plastic visor that attaches to the headband, are made from a semi-flexible, yet super durable plastic filament called polyethylene terephthalate and glycol, referred to as PETG. No-touch tools can be printed in under an hour, whereas the face shields take up to several hours to produce and assemble. Items are usually ready within a week and can be picked up at the Front Desk or via Curbside.
Approximately 200 PPE requests have been fulfilled. Limit one of each item per member, while supplies last. To request PPE, or to learn more about this initiative, please visit https://www.connetquotlibrary.org/learning-commons/ppe/.
###