Just to be clear, I was not suggesting that it is a bad idea to have these
spaces in academic libraries. Quite the contrary.

I'm not sure I've heard anyone state these arguments this clearly... and it
is good to hear them.

As a public librarian I always keep an eye on what happens in academic
libraries; frequently public libraries are able to adapt then adopt
functions and innovations a little after academic libraries implement them.
 I'm asking these questions because I sometimes covet the academic
library's clearly defined, targeted market (the students) and see this as
an opportunity to learn before designing similar services to a bigger,
harder to pin down market (the public).

I'm particularly fond of two responses: 1) why repeat things in multiple
departments when you can save $ by doing something once and 2) the notion
that cross-disciplinary cross-pollination comes from hosting services this
way.

Does anyone have a space running at their academic library that interacts
directly with similar but perhaps advanced equipment features in different
departments? For example, are there instances where the library offers the
CAD software but then cutting/building/printing happens in different
departmental labs around campus? The idea of a clearly defined scope of
what the library can and will support and the factors that might determine
that scope are interesting to me.






On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 10:20 AM, Jason Griffey <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> There have been two very fine answers already (Go Brooke and Jeff!)
> but I'll add one more data point. The purpose of an academic library
> (at least every academic library that I've been associated with) can
> be boiled down to, pretty much, two things:
>
> 1. Support the curriculum of the school
> 2. Support the research of the faculty, students, and staff when it
> extends beyond the curriculum
>
> The second is necessary for the growth of the first. While Ross is
> correct that eventually, whether implicit or explicit, some lines are
> likely to be drawn (we are very interested in Maker culture and
> spaces, we probably aren't going to be putting in CNC routers...just
> because we don't have the environment). But whatever tools I can put
> in front of the students and faculty that are available for _everyone_
> and not siloed away in an engineering lab that you have to be part of
> the grant team to use...well, that's good for my University. And the
> tools are, frankly, way more interesting when they get used by
> non-obvious groups...I can't wait to see what a History student might
> do with a 3D printer, for instance.
>
> Jason
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 9:05 AM, Nate Hill <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> > Can anyone on the list help clarify for me why, in an academic setting,
> > this kind of equipment and facility isn't part of a laboratory in an
> > academic department?
> >
> > Don't get me wrong I am *way* into access to tools, but I remember when I
> > went to art school that the building had a shop in it. The shop had a
> > woodshop, welders, metal lathes, etc. And it belonged there, not in the
> > library- because it supported what that department was all about.
> >
> > Are makerspaces in academic libraries examples of libraries picking up
> > slack that academic departments should be dealing with?
> >
> > I ask this with zero snark, I genuinely want to hear some thoughts on
> > this...
> >
> > Nate
> >
> > On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 8:54 AM, Paul Butler (pbutler3) <
> [log in to unmask]>wrote:
> >
> >> Hi All,
> >>
> >> Yes, this Fall we are opening the Think Lab here at UMW Libraries. While
> >> we have been part of the planning process for the space, I would say
> thus
> >> far the library has played the role of landlord more than anything
> else. I
> >> see this partnership developing as time progresses. (I have a few
> projects
> >> planned myself.)
> >>
> >> A colleague, Tim Owens, is blogging about the Think Lab here:
> >>
> http://www.makerbot.com/blog/2012/07/26/help-tim-owens-build-an-awesome-makerspace/
> >>
> >> Cheers, Paul
> >> +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
> >> Paul R Butler
> >> Assistant Systems Librarian
> >> Simpson Library
> >> University of Mary Washington
> >> 1801 College Avenue
> >> Fredericksburg, VA 22401
> >> 540.654.1756
> >> libraries.umw.edu
> >>
> >> Sent from the mighty Dell Vostro 230.
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> >> Edward Iglesias
> >> Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2012 12:11 PM
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Subject: [CODE4LIB] Maker Spaces and Academic Libraries
> >>
> >> Hello All,
> >>
> >> A colleague and I are going to be presenting at code4lib NE on the
> subject
> >> of makerspaces in academic libraries. Are any of you doing this? If
> so I
> >> would love to pick your brains a little.
> >>
> >> Edward Iglesias
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Nate Hill
> > [log in to unmask]
> > http://www.natehill.net
>



--
Nate Hill
[log in to unmask]
http://www.natehill.net