Create, innovate and make new at the

There’s only one place in Arlington Heights where you can custom engrave a glass or cutting board, embroider fabric with a monogram, create custom T-shirts or tote bags, use a 3D printer, take a variety of cooking classes and so much more - all in one building.

Whether you’re an experienced maker or just getting started, the possibilities for creating are endless when you stop by the Arlington Heights Memorial Library’s Makerplace, located at 112 N. Belmont Avenue, near Recreation Park.

The library’s Makerplace fosters creativity and innovation through making in a collaborative environment. It can also be the perfect place to make new connections and friendships, which Makerplace user Sarah Quilliam has recently discovered.

Quilliam and her husband moved to Arlington Heights in 2022. Originally from Nottingham, England, she began looking for local resources and ways to engage in the community and quickly discovered the Makerplace. Within her first weeks in Arlington Heights, she had attended a vinyl cutting class, the first of many classes she would attend.

“I needed a reason to get up in the morning, I needed something in my diary [and] I needed a way of being able to interact with people,” Quilliam said. “I’m trying out new things I’ve never had time to try out in my whole life before, and the beauty of it all is that everything is free of charge.”

She has continued to regularly attend classes, including 3D printing, laser cutting and an assortment of culinary programs.