Bloomaroo at the Wharf Date: April 1, 2023 Time: 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm Location: The Wharf - District Pier Cost: Free
Head to the Wharf to enjoy a free spring extravaganza featuring a full day of cherry blossom-themed art, music, fireworks, and family-friendly fun along the waterfront! Enjoy food and drinks, s’mores on the firepit, and live music. The event will cap it all off with a blossom fireworks finale.
Petalpalooza Date: April 8, 2023 Time: 1:00 pm - 9:00 pm Location: Capitol Riverfront at the Yards Cost: Free
This day-long celebration brings art, music, and play to multiple outdoor stages, interactive art installations, roaming DC sports mascots, entertainers, and more. The evening is capped by the dazzling Official National Cherry Blossom Festival Fireworks Show!
National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade Date: April 15, 2023 Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: Constitution Ave., between 7th & 17th St., Cost: $40 Telecast (East End, 7th - 9th Streets) - $25-$30 Grandstand (West End, 15th - 17th Streets)
The Nation’s Springtime Parade is returning with elaborate floats, marching bands, celebrity entertainers, and performers in a spectacle of music and showmanship. This year’s Grand Marshals are Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse from Walt Disney World® Resort!
Spend Earth Day outdoors helping nature thrive. Take part in the annual Earth Day Cleanup in partnership with the Anacostia Watershed Society. Work alongside Park Rangers as they collect trash and recycling in and around the park to help beautify the Anacostia watershed.
For your convenience and safety, Himmelfarb Library has transitioned away from first-come, first-served study room use. All study rooms are now available via advance online reservation! Because of reduced seating capacity in all our study rooms, you can guarantee that you will have a place to study before venturing over to Himmelfarb by reserving a study room.
To comply with social distancing requirements, most study rooms only accommodate one user. Several rooms can accommodate 2 people, and one allows for 4 occupants at a time.
Signs near the room entrances remind you of the occupancy limits, and floor decals in the study rooms will indicate where you should sit.
Currently, seating at study tables, computer labs, and individual carrels remain available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please stop by the Circulation Desk, or call (202) 994-2962, if you have any questions or issues.
Himmelfarb Staff Member 3D Prints Face Shields for Health Care Workers
Click to watch: 3D printing process
John Lopez, Himmelfarb Library’s Data Technician, has joined an initiative to 3D print face shields for healthcare workers. John shares how he became involved in the project, and what the process entails.
How did you learn about the face shield printing initiative?
I initially read an article about a hospital in Brescia, Italy which was hit hard by the pandemic. They were running out of valves used for their respirators which the manufacturer couldn't provide quickly enough, so a small startup company reversed engineered the valve and began 3D printing them, which the hospital then used. The article quickly became viral just as COVID-19 reached the states.
I began noticing online 3D printing communities around the world organizing similar efforts once Josef Prusa - the founder of Prusa Lab in Prague, Czech Republic - released an open-source face shield design, made available for anyone with a 3D printer to produce. Various iterations were soon released, but the Prusa face shield design proved to be the most effective among health care workers.
3D-printed face shield
Are you partnering with a particular organization or initiative?
I joined the volunteer effort started by Open Works, a makerspace workshop based in Baltimore who were among the first to mobilize volunteer makers with an organized and efficient plan to provide face shields to local healthcare systems and hospitals. A chain of custody is established via email registration, as each 3D print file is assigned a unique parts number which helps keep track of how many face shields were printed by a volunteer.
What part of the shield is 3D-printed? What other materials do you need for assembly, and where can you get them? Is there a standard for what material the face shield should be made of (e.g., thickness)?
Face shield components
The face shield is actually a printable headband, as well as a printable chin strap which serves as a mount for the visor; both are included in the 3D print file. An elastic cord, along with the actual clear acrylic visor, are required to complete assembly, both of which are done at Open Works once they receive completed face shields.
PETG is the type of filament material primarily used to print the face shields, which can be purchased on Amazon for example. It's preferred due to its rigidity and because it can be sterilized more efficiently than other types of printing material such as PLA. There is indeed a printing guideline for makers to follow which sets the parameters to prevent the face shield from breaking.
How long does it take to print the shield frames?
The average print time when following the recommended print settings can take up to 6 hours for a single face shield. There are certainly a variety of ways to print faster by tinkering with hardware, such as changing the nozzle size, but it's not encouraged as strength and quality of the model are prioritized over speed.
Are you using the library’s 3D printer?
I'm grateful for my two 3D printers at home since the library's 3D printer service hasn’t been accessible.
Roughly how many have you assembled so far?
Volunteers had been asked to print at least three face shields each during the early weeks of the pandemic. The incredible response from volunteers reached a saturation point in mid-April as thousands of face shields had been made. Since then my focus has been printing ear straps for face masks.
Face shield components
Once they’re assembled, how do you get them to their destination?
Once a face shield is done printing, I wear nitrile gloves to remove the part from the print bed and follow the sanitation checklist provided by Open Works. A liability waiver is also signed then sent along with the face shields through USPS.
Is there a website (or several websites) you would recommend people visit for more information?
A good starting point for anyone with a 3D printer looking to join local volunteer efforts in their area
