"Let's Make Something Cool": Jessica Hughes on the Impact of KCLS Makerspace

Trae Holiday, host of "The Day With Trae," recently interviewed Jessica Hughes, senior public services specialist King County Library System (KCLS), about the organization’s innovative Makerspace program. Hughes, who has been with KCLS for 12 years and the Makerspace for five, discussed her journey to the library system and the wealth of accessible resources available to the community.

Hughes shared her lifelong connection to libraries and the arts. "I have always been a library kid and an artsy kid and a music kid. I was a band nerd in high school," she said, explaining that libraries were the spots that always brought all her interests together. After running an art collection in Denver and organizing community programs, she realized that libraries were her calling. 

The KCLS Makerspace offers free access to cutting-edge technology, including 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines, music production equipment, and a sound booth. Hughes emphasized that Makerspace’s role is to create equal access to tools that are shaping the future, as not everyone has access to such equipment at home.

A particularly exciting event at Makerspace today, Saturday, October 25 is Home Movie Day, where the community can digitize their home videos on tape before they degrade, in partnership with Moving Image Preservation of Puget Sound. This annual event helps preserve personal histories and bring people together over shared memories and nostalgia. 

For small business owners, KCLS offers an ongoing series called Branding Your Small Business, a program that teaches participants to make marketing materials like logos and merchandise. Hughes proudly mentioned a recently completed Spanish language cohort and an upcoming English language cohort for this series.

In the studio, Hughes surprised Holiday with a gift bag featuring items made in the Makerspace. This included a custom “The Day With Trae” mug, tote back, rubber stamp, and laser-cut earrings in the shape of "The Day with Trae" logo.

Visit kcls.org/makerspaces to check out the Makerspaces’ resources and upcoming events. As Hughes encouraged, "Let's make something cool."

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