Brookline Library, The Makery Help Make PPE Amid Coronavirus

BROOKLINE, MA — While their physical doors are closed to the public three very hands-on Brookline establishments have forged a partnership and are charging ahead with their missions to make a positive difference in the community amid a pandemic.

When their doors closed to the public, owners Hayley Greenberg and Manny Cabanas of the Makery in Coolidge Corner, a makerspace that usually offers classes, equipment and space for people interested in, ahem, making and creating things, got the idea to use their tools and skills to make personal protective equipment in this time of need.

The staff at the Public Library of Brookline and the Brookline Teen Center hopped on board and together in the past few weeks they have helped create more than 17,000 face shields for the Brookline Senior Center and local hospitals in conjunction with Masks for Docs.

A team of librarians are using the library's 3D printers in their homes to print face shield frames and ear savers to donate to Masks for Docs, a non-profit that is working with hospitals and healthcare organizations to help provide the critical equipment to healthcare providers.

Another team dubbed the "sewing team" has made fabric masks for the Brookline Senior Center. The team plans to pivot into making crochet "ear savers," meant to reduce the discomfort from wearing a mask.

Staff have also volunteered at the Masks for Docs assembly line, which has produced more than 17,000 laser cut face shields in just two weeks.

The Makery fired up its 3D printers and laser cutter to begin making face shield and mask components to deliver to Boston-area hospitals in need of personal protective equipment earlier this moth. It became a distribution hub for other PPE manufacturers.

In addition to producing face shields and masks, it is also providing the space and organization to assemble, package, sanitize, and distribute the finished products.

The Maker owners set up the space on Sewall Avenue to produce components for masks and shields in a safe environment, while Maddie Jacks, engineer and operations manager there, took charge at The Makery’s auxiliary makerspace at the Brookline Teen Center.

She got permission from the Teen Center's Matt Cooney and the board of directors at The Brookline Teen Center to use the space as a final-stage production and distribution facility.

The Makery team and a network of volunteers meet online daily to assess next steps.

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• Brookline Converts Library, Schools Into Fire, Police Stations ...

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).