Innovation Center in Collaboration with Swagelok
Cuyahoga County Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
With eight Innovation Centers, Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) provides hands-on, personalized professional development opportunities for the more than 500,000 residents of northeast Ohio.
In March 2025, the newest center opened in the recently transformed Solon Branch. The Innovation Center in Collaboration with Swagelok is a creative, collaborative, and educational space focused on nurturing the most in-demand, entry-level skills that local businesses seek, educating students about career pathways in smart manufacturing, and providing free access to software, equipment, and training that supports regional workforce development.
CCPL hosts system-wide programs and classes for all ages. Drop-in support and equipment demonstrations are provided. After completing orientation, anyone can use design and production tools.
Challenge/Opportunity
New, free-to-visit makerspaces bring so much more than new creative technology to local residents. In addition to increasing access to the latest technology, CCPL innovation centers promote hands-on learning and new skills development. New projects and side-by-side learning help build relationships. Opportunities also support local education, specifically Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) learning. Creators gain opportunities to build relationships that can drive future economic development.
Located in Solon’s busy town center and close to the high and middle schools, the library branch in which the center is located is now equipped to serve the needs of the community for the next 25 years. It also creates greater opportunities for local manufacturing companies and CCPL community partners, including Cuyahoga Community College and the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET), to connect with current and future members of the workforce.
Key Elements of Innovation
The center offers the widest possible access to a unique combination of tools and training not found in nearby public schools or spaces. This makes the Solon Branch a destination that raises both the profile of and curiosity around library services overall.
A key partner in this work is Swagelok, a worldwide leader in industrial fluid system manufacturing and support. A generous $500,000 gift from the global manufacturing company helped create the Swagelok Innovation Center in CCPL’s Solon Branch.
The gift provided financial support for construction of the 1,350-square-foot innovation center, now the largest and most advanced maker space in the CCPL system featuring: 3D Printing, Adobe Creative Cloud, Cricut Maker 3, EPSON SureColor F2270, Direct to Garment Printing, Dark Garment Direct to Garment Printer, Embroidery Machine, Heat Press, Inkjet Printer, Laser Engraver / Cutter, Mug Press, Sewing Machine, Sublimation Printer, Waterjet Cutter, Vacuum Former, and a Vinyl Printer / Cutter
Achieved Outcomes
- The Solon Innovation Center opened on March 20, with approximately 250 people in attendance for a ribbon cutting, demonstration of machines, giveaways, and an overview of the space.
- On June 19, CCPL Staff hosted 40 educators from across the country as part of the FabPlay Educators conference hosted by Hawken Upper School. This annual conference provides educators hands-on professional development opportunities in and outside the classroom to integrate and develop makerspace and STEAM concepts into school curriculum.
- A large amount of interest in community members getting oriented to the Innovation Center (the most out of all Innovation Centers in the system, see Solon-1.png)
- A large amount of interest in attending programs in the Innovation Center (the most out of all Innovation Centers in the system, see solon-2.png).
