The Story: As a librarian, you have many intellectual tools in your toolbox: querying databases, the art of the reference interview, organizing meta-data. However, you may be unaware of the actual physical tools you will sometimes require to do your job effectively: hammer and nails, box cutter, canned air, various industrial-strength glues, an assortment of screwdrivers, allan wrenches, pliers, scissors, and, yes, a toothbrush. Things break in the library, and you will be called upon to know, or learn quickly, how to fix them. This is especially true of new technology, or slightly less-new technology for which you may not have free or in-house tech support or replacement options. If you want to do innovative crafts, you'll have to get your hands on some innovative tools, and not be afraid to use them. All of the tools pictured above are things I have actually used in my workday to fix toys, prepare after-school maker/craft activities, and trouble-shoot new technology (a.k.a - the 3D printer is clogged again).
The Lesson: Always be willing to learn, try, and fail before you succeed at fixing something physical. Also, never underestimate the power of google. There are so many how-tos and fix-it/DIY websites and forums out there, that you can learn to fix, replace, or take apart just about anything. Don't be afraid to look beyond the manufacturer's website for help if your problem doesn't come up in their FAQ. Also, if something is broken enough that you have been called upon to fix it, it's likely that you can't break it much worse if you're actually following some kind of directions rather than just tinkering and hoping for the best. And once you do actually manage to fix the darn thing, it can be kind of fun and empowering, knowing that you were able to do this thing yourself.
The Resources: Youtube, Instructables, WikiHow, Lifehacker, and iFixit (one of my personal favorites). There are a ton more out there, too, devoted to any specific problems you might have.
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