Kevin Brady Library Launches Innovation Space Featuring Podcast Room and 3D Printers

A three-room Innovation Space at the Kevin Brady Library and Community Center now houses multiple 3D printers, a 3D scanner, a large-format cutting machine, heat presses and a sublimation printer at 2250 Buckthorne Pl in The Woodlands. The Montgomery County Memorial Library System formally opened the facility as “our first stop of the Innovate@MCMLS initiative,” Library Executive Director Dr. Janna Hoglund said, positioning the space as a hands-on resource for creation and design.

The grand opening included a welcome address, a ribbon cutting, cake, tours and demonstrations, with the public event scheduled for 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM on Feb. 19 and free 3D printing tickets provided at the event “while supplies last.” A ribbon-cutting was held for the Innovation Space at the Kevin Brady Library on Feb. 19, and tours of the Podcast Studio and Innovation Lab were part of the program.

Dr. Janna Hoglund framed the facility as an intergenerational technology hub, saying, “We are excited to open this brand new Innovation Space to the community at the Kevin Brady Library, our first stop of the Innovate@MCMLS initiative,” and “It is an opportunity for all ages to experience new technology as they imagine and create.” The county announcement also lists Vogt Engineering as the main supporter of the Maker Space, and the library described the Maker Space as “intended to help in developing essential 21st-century skills by providing a collaborative environment for hands-on creation, experimentation, and design.”

Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler attended and praised the new tools, saying, “The grand opening of the Innovation Space at Kevin Brady Library is very beneficial for our community. The Space offers multiple opportunities for everyone to create, invent, and build new skills. I am excited about the new Innovate@MCMLS initiative and cannot wait to see what fresh ideas emerge from everyone who uses the podcast studio and creative makerspace.” County coverage also noted Wheeler said he would be proud to be the first person to record an official podcast later that day with the latest episode of his “Wheeler Report.”

The podcast studio is a focal point for media production, described in reporting as “fully decked out with microphones, seats, multi-channel sound board, and even high-resolution, remote-controlled cameras for extra video podcast pleasure. The soundproofed room, made possible with the support of Howard Hughes Communities, even has a green screen, and on-site Adobe software is available in the nearby editing room to custom tailor backdrops so that each recording is unique.” The soundproofing support from Howard Hughes Communities and the availability of an editing room with Adobe software aim to lower the barrier for video and audio creators.

Operational details announced at the opening include required orientation sessions and initial open-lab hours: visitors must complete an orientation offered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday before using the lab, and open lab hours are on Tuesdays. With Vogt Engineering listed as the primary sponsor of the Maker Space and free 3D printing tickets handed out at the launch, MCMLS is positioning the Kevin Brady Library installation as a practical, entry-level route into prototyping and media production as the first stop of Innovate@MCMLS.