Makerspaces: Creativity & Play at the Library

 

Makerspaces

By Megan Cleary

Makerspaces can be defined any number of ways, but essentially they can be described as the space and equipment to create, build, and design. They are places to spark creativity and play, and to provide opportunities. Makerspaces have been a great addition to libraries, bringing in patrons who may not have previously used the library and giving patrons access to equipment that they wouldn’t normally be able to work with. They can be as small as art supplies in the corner of a school library, and as big as a recording studio in a large public library. 

As wonderful and beneficial as makerspaces are, there are a lot of challenges to creating and sustaining them. Depending on the types of supplies and equipment the library is providing, makerspaces can be very expensive. Libraries may not have the budget to purchase equipment or service it. Library staff will also need to be trained on how to use any equipment provided, as well as help patrons troubleshoot when problems occur. Another issue is the space needed to set them up. Not all libraries have that much free space to give up or they may have furniture or shelving that is heavy and not easy to move around so that it’s difficult to rearrange and make the space (Moorefield-Lang, 52). Tara Jones wrote an article providing tips on how to create a makerspace with budget and space constraints. One of the things she suggested is using donated equipment/materials (45). Another idea was to employ volunteers to work in the makerspace (45). If you find volunteers who already have knowledge of the equipment or who have experience in art or tech, you can save the time and costs to train current library staff.

An important thing to take into consideration when creating a makerspace is accessibility. Whether the makerspace is geared towards children, adults, or all ages, you want it to be easily accessible to as many users as possible. Heather Moorefield-Lang explored makerspace accessibility and wrote an article detailing how people can think critically about making sure their space is welcoming and inclusive. She mentioned having online options for those who cannot physically make it into the library, making sure you have adaptable furniture options, creating a space large enough to allow wheelchairs and walkers, and creating instructions that can be easily read and understood (53).

Overall I think makerspaces are a great addition to libraries, and can provide fun and exciting opportunities for patrons of all ages. Budgets and space constraints withstanding, most librarians can find some version of a makerspace that works for them and their patrons.

Works Cited

JONES, TARA. "Making Makerspaces More Functional and Sustainable." Teacher Librarian, vol. 48, no. 2, 2020, pp. 44-46. EBSCOhost; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=148603699&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Moorefield-Lang, Heather. "Intention in Your Makerspace: Making Your Maker Learning Space Accessible." Knowledge Quest, vol. 51, no. 1, 2022, pp. 52-53. EBSCOhost; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=159216304&site=ehost-live&scope=site.