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Just two days away!  Register now for this exciting look at the development and maintenance of maker spaces in the academic library environment.  NISO’s December webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, December 14, 1pm-2:30pm, offers experienced practitioners sharing their expertise about how they have successfully integrated maker spaces with other library services!

 

NISO Webinar

Make it at the Library: How Does Library Technology Support Makerspaces?

Wednesday, December 14, 2017, 1:00pm – 2:30pm, EST

 

The movement to help support the “maker” culture in libraries has grown and and is creating vibrant groups centered around the library in many communities. Beyond purchasing equipment and the tools necessary to produce objects, what does the library need to do to support these innovation spaces? How do traditional library services and information management support these communities and new tools? This session will explore how some of the most successful makerspaces were created and how they incorporate traditional library services. During this session, speakers from three institutions that have implemented makerspaces will discuss how they integrate traditional services into their maker initiatives. Here’s what they will be talking about:

 

Is There a Role for a Library-Based Makerspace in a Liberal Arts School?
George Meadows, Professor, College of Education, University of Mary Washington

 

The ThinkLab, a Library-based Makerspace, was developed as a collaborative effort on the part of the Simpson Library, the College of Education, and the Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies. The site is equipped with 3D scanners and printers as well as a wide variety of tools and building materials, including soldering kits, microcontroller boards and circuit components, Styrofoam cutters, and basic hand tools. The ThinkLab has served as the site for a number of classes, some specific to makerspaces, but most using the space as a workshop for course-related projects. While the ThinkLab is still an active site, a number of questions regarding its future have arisen, including such issues as who can/should use the space, budget considerations, and University support. These questions lead to the bigger issue of the role (if there is a role) for a Library-based Makerspace in a relatively small Liberal Arts school. The development of a second, very active Makerspace in the College of Education has made this issue a bit more complicated. In this webinar I will discuss the role of the ThinkLab, with examples of some past and ongoing projects and discuss the questions and issues described above. I will also briefly describe the role of the College of Education makerspace in developing and supporting makerspaces in local public and K-12 school libraries.

 

Creating a Digital Maker Space in the Academic Library
Sara Gonzalez, Science Librarian, University of Florida

Digital making includes Arduino scripting, creating virtual and augmented reality experiences, and mobile app development. This type of space can be standalone or partnered with a more traditional makerspace offering fabrication tools such as 3D printing and laser cutting. This flexibility creates options for libraries that lack the infrastructure or resources for a dedicated makerspace but still want to offer maker tools to their patrons. This presentation will describe the development of the University of Florida’s MADE@UF lab, a digital makerspace located in the science library that provides workstations, software, devices, and support for mobile app and virtual reality development.

 

Making Ends Meet: What Library Makerspaces Need to Succeed
John J. Burke, Library Director & Principal Librarian Gardner-Harvey Library, Miami University -- Middletown. 

 

Makerspaces can be easy to start in academic libraries: just buy a 3D printer and you’re in business, right? But before you start collecting tools and technologies, what questions should you ask, and what possibilities should you consider to help your makerspace stay running beyond your first equipment failure? The creator of an academic library makerspace will share what he and his team have learned over the last 2 ½ years along with lessons drawn from interviews with other library makers. The TEC Lab at Miami University Middletown grew from placing a 3D printer on the circulation desk, then gathering craft materials and equipment into a corner of the library, and now inhabiting a dedicated makerspace room with a laser cutter and a growing array of user expectations. What inspires new additions to makerspaces, and how can you stay ahead of needs to add skills and teach new users? The presentation will include a discussion of budgets, programming options, and ways to sustain your makerspace. Attendees will gain a practical perspective of daily operations and the requirements for supporting a variety of making activities.

 

For registration information, visit NISO’s event page.

 

Have questions? Contact us at:

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