Visiting the Collaboratory
A dedicated space for designing, customizing, and hands-on projects
The library's makerspace is located on the 2nd Floor, across from the Reference Desk and elevator.
Drop in during our open hours to design, create, and personalize your projects.
Walk-ins Welcome: Most equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Appointments Recommended: We highly recommend booking ahead for the Digitization Room and Digital Media Lab.
Open Hours
Tuesday – Thursday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Note: Closed from 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM once a month on Tuesdays for staff meetings. Check the Collaboratory pages for announcements.
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Equipment Use Cutoff: Laptops remain available for use until close, but all other machines must be turned off 30 minutes prior to closing. Exception: Laser and embroidery jobs started on equipment before the 30-minute mark may finish, provided they end before closing.
Age Requirements
Making is a Team Effort: To keep our space safe and fun, caregivers and parents should work alongside their children during their time here.
Age 11 and up: May use the Collaboratory independently.
Under 11: Must be accompanied and actively supervised by a person 12 or older.
- First-Come, First-Served: Equipment use is managed via a staff-guided queue.
- Getting in Line: Staff will review and approve your project before adding your name to the queue.
- Materials for Purchase: We have a small selection of materials you may purchase. Fees are added to your library card.
- Project Limits: To ensure everyone gets a turn, you may not work on more than one machine or project simultaneously, and the number of items you can make per turn is limited.
- Staff Assistance: Collaboratory staff can guide you through using the equipment safely.
Group Visits
We're passionate about empowering our community through learning, innovation, and practical creation. To ensure our equipment and space remain available for these goals, parties or personal social gatherings are not permitted.
Organizations can book a brief tour and short activity in the Collaboratory. Please note that group visits are reserved exclusively for organizations and are not open to private groups.
- Visits must be scheduled no less than 4 weeks in advance and depend on staff availability.
- Visits can be scheduled Tuesdays-Thursday: 10am-7pm, and Fridays: 10am-4pm.
- Group size is limited to 10, not including chaperones for youth groups. If needed, additional tours may be scheduled on other dates.
- Group members under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a chaperone, parent, or guardian age 18 or older throughout the visit.
- Groups may select 1 of 3 short activities prior to the visit.
- The space, equipment, furniture, and laptops cannot be reserved.
- The Collaboratory cannot be used for meetings. If your organization wishes to hold a meeting during your visit to the Collaboratory, please reserve one of the library’s meeting rooms with your Northbrook Library card.
Schedule a Group Visit
Contact us at collaboratory@northbrook.info. Share your organization’s name and number of attendees and we'll reach out. Your visit is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email.