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We started a 'tool of the month' club at our library and it totally backfired
Our tool library in Portland got a grant last year, so we bought a really nice Dremel 4300 kit to be our featured tool for November. The idea was to get people excited and maybe do some craft workshops. We put up signs and everything. Instead, we had a line out the door on the first day, and the Dremel was booked solid for three months straight. Nobody could get it, and people got mad because they felt like we were playing favorites. I learned that adding one fancy tool without a plan to get more just makes wait times worse and ticks people off. Has anyone else tried a spotlight system and found a way to make it fair for everyone?
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jamiekim11d ago
Spotlight systems need a lottery or sign up sheet from day one. Seen this happen with 3D printers at my local makerspace, same angry crowd. Maybe run the featured tool for a week then take it off the list to cool down. Your heart was in the right place but hype without rules just burns people out.
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