Of late, there has been tremendous
interest in “makerspaces” and their potential in libraries: from school and
public libraries to academic and special libraries, the topic seems very much the
flavour of the moment. Makerspaces and varying new technologies are exciting
services now being offered in libraries, particularly academic libraries. However, as with all new
ventures these come with their own challenges and successes. This initiative
speaks not only to the reconfiguration of available space but also to the
training of library staff to work collaboratively with faculty and the
Information Technology sector of the university in sustaining this endeavour.
It is essential that staffing models of the makerspaces are carefully examined before
implementation. (H. Moorefield-Lang, 2015; Wong & Partridge, 2016)
WHAT
IS IT?
Makerspaces encompass a continuum of
activity that includes “co-working,” “hackerspace,” and “fab
lab”; the common
thread running through each is a focus on making
rather than merely consuming.
It is important to note that although the terms are often incorrectly used as
if they were synonymous, in practice they are very different: for example, a
fab lab is about fabrication (Colegrove, 2013).
The
idea of having a place to make things isn’t new. Workshops, garages, studios,
sewing rooms and backyards have long been spaces for making. The term
makerspace though, has only been in use since the publication of Make magazine in 2005, and the subsequent
launch of Maker Faire, an event that demonstrated the popularity of making and
showcasing new technologie.
(Wong & Partridge, 2016).
University
makerspaces are places where students and staff can learn new things, work with
their peers, consider new ideas, explore, tinker, invent and make. According to
Matthews (as cited in Filal, 2017), the future
of libraries is about a user community engaging to create content and using it
for “community building, connecting people, engaging students, assisting
researchers, and advancing knowledge production”.
WHY THE NEED?
Recent trends in Librarianship point to themes of
crafting, artisans, creators, and makers in library spaces.
One
of these trends is the Maker Movement, which calls for the return of the
artisans, creators and makers and for ways libraries can support these
movements and entrepreneurs (Filar Williams & Folkman, 2017)
Libraries are on a never-ending continuum to get their
users to the library and this makerspace initiative creates that impetus. So why
have a makerspace? Whilst bringing together innovators, thinkers, and creators,
these spaces critically require physical space, an integrated plan and all the
necessary resources including staff and finances. This ‘fight or flight” state
libraries face today, has libraries fighting to stay responsive to the
ever-changing needs of its users. (Fourie & Meyer, 2015)
Makerspaces provide an opportunity for libraries to build upon services
they already offer while reaching out to students and faculty who do not
frequent the library on a daily basis. By implementing a makerspace in the
campus library, the space is seen as more neutral and approachable by students
and staff from all academic departments. Broadly interpreting what a makerspace
needs to be, allows institutions the opportunity to match the space to the
specific needs of their student body, while leaving room for the space to
change and grow over time. The smaller scale implementation of makerspaces and
collaboration technology provide institutions with a testing ground for future trends
and can encourage academic departments to independently adopt new instruction
trends in the classroom. In addition to the services provided by the space, students
benefit from the opportunity to participate in a more creative, kinesthetic
style of learning that stimulates their decision-making skills.(Lee, 2017)
WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE ROLE-PLAYERS?
and entrepreneurial
efforts by students and academics.
Students or researchers trying to understand or make sense of a
chemical model or novel protein strand are able to not only visualize and
manipulate the subject on a two-dimensional screen, but to relatively quickly
print a real-world model to be able to and tangibly explore the subject from
all angles (Colegrove, 2013).
Individuals synthesizing knowledge across disciplinary boundaries are
able to interact with members of communities of practice in a non-threatening
environment; learning, developing and testing ideas, developing rapid
prototypes in software or physical media, with the assistance of a librarian to
resources and advice regarding intellectual property opportunities or concerns (Colegrove,
2013).
Depending on constraints and the available
support, the library may also be well-served by forming collaborative ties with
other local makerspaces; having local partners can dramatically improve the
options available to the library in day-to-day practice, and better inform the
library as it takes well-chosen incremental steps. With
hackerspace/co-working/fab lab resources aligned with the traditional resources
of the library, engagement with one can lead naturally to the other in an
explosion of innovation and creativity (Colegrove, 2013)
Where
do librarians learn all of the skills that it takes to run a makerspace? What
happens if a librarian doesn’t know how to fix a 3d printer? Where do they turn
if they know nothing about laser cutting, knitting, making purses from books,
or building worlds in virtual realities? Every librarian who started a
makerspace asked themselves these questions, then found resources, peers, and
online aids to get them started with their maker learning locations. Having an
adventurous spirit can also help (Moorefield-Lang, 2015).
CHALLENGES
FOR MAKERSPACES
In
order for libraries to transform and remain relevant, library management and
staff must rethink the library culture as well as what job skills are needed to
be successful in this maker environment. The willingness of staff to be open to
changes is important, but the library environment or culture, along with the
support for staff to gain the skills through informal or formal education,
conferences, networking with others, and learning by doing, is a must. This
openness to constant change, innovative ideas, and new knowledge will move
libraries forward and better serve their communities (Filar Williams & Folkman, 2017).This
initiative calls for a solid understanding of the library’s user community, the
ability to collaborate, and to serve diverse people as each community’s needs
are unique. (Koh & Abbas, 2015).
A
challenge is the need to communicate that makerspaces are for all University
patrons across disciplines not only for engineering students. Lee (2017), identifies additional challenges for makerspaces
implementation. The first, is the cost, when technology and spaces are integrated.
The second challenge is the actual separation of the space itself. For example,
will someone have to give up part of their office space, or will certain
departments need to be relocated? The third challenge is how the space will be
governed and shared. A makerspace needs to reflect the needs of the students
and be able to draw them into the space through their individual interests. The
last challenge is the training of staff on new technologies in such a way that
the new makerspace can be adequately staffed, with knowledgeable personnel who
can facilitate learning. Initially, the makerspace will probably need to have
limited hours for patrons, but as its popularity grows, so will the need to
hire more staff and provide training.
REFERENCES
Colegrove, P. T.
(2013). Editorial board thoughts: Libraries as makerspace? Information Technology and Libraries, 32(1), 2.
doi:10.6017/ital.v32i1.3793
Filar Williams, B., & Folkman, M. (2017). Librarians as makers. Journal of Library Administration, 57(1),
17-35.
Fourie, I., & Meyer, A. (2015). What to make of makerspaces:
Tools and DIY only or is there an interconnected information resources space? Library Hi Tech, 33(4), 519-525.
doi:10.1108/LHT-09-2015-0092
Koh, K., & Abbas, J. (2015). Competencies for Information
professionals in learning labs and makerspaces. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, 56(2),
114-129.
Lee, R. J. (2017). Campus-library collaboration with makerspaces. Public Services Quarterly, 13(2),
108-116.
Moorefield-Lang, H. (2015). Change in the making: Makerspaces and
the ever-changing landscape of libraries. TechTrends,
59(3), 107-112.
Moorefield-Lang, H. M. (2015). User agreements and makerspaces: a
content analysis. New Library World, 116(7/8),
358-368. doi:doi:10.1108/NLW-12-2014-0144
Wong, A., & Partridge, H. (2016). Making as learning:
Makerspaces in universities. Australian
Academic & Research Libraries, 47(3), 143-159.
