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