Central New York Maker Faire 2022
By Juan Denzer, Engineering and Computer Science Librarian
Central New York’s first annual Maker Faire took place at the SRC Arena at Onondaga Community College on Saturday April 2, 2022. The Maker Faire was a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these "makers" to show hobbies, experiments, projects. It was a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness.
Syracuse University Libraries hosted the only virtual reality table at the event. Staffed by librarians and students from the College of Information Studies (iSchool), attendees were invited to stop by and check out the Library Escape Room using the Meta Quest 2. Natalie LoRusso, Reference and User Experience Librarian at SU Libraries, along with iSchool graduate students Chloe Guedalia and Rachel Hogan demonstrated the project for elementary and high school students and adults as well. In addition to the virtual reality headset, the table hosts educated participants about gaming and information literacy.
This event sparked interest and an invitation to participate in future community events, such as RetroGameCon, AnchorCon and others. In addition, the team featured this event at the College of Engineering and Computer Science open house for admitted students on Saturday, April 9.
