I am not the librarian in my school, and I am hesitant to be too critical of my school’s librarian for not being a tech/maker person, because she has many, many other wonderful qualities, skills, and passions that make her a great teacher-librarian. However, there is little in the way of maker programming at my school, and what does exist is not generally connected to the LLC – it’s generally found in isolated pockets of the school being practiced by keener teachers and ADST specialists. The opportunity definitely exists for more centralized programming after our current apocalypse ends.
- My Library: Already in Place
- Lego wall and booking system
- Computers (both inside the library itself and in the adjacent lab)
- Very occasional formal maker programming (e.g., STEAM afternoon for keeners in collaboration with other interested teachers)
- Space suited for collaboration
- COVID has killed a lot of in-person possibilities, so there may be other things I am not aware of due to lack of use this year.
- My Library: Possibilities
- More regular partnerships with ADST department and other interested teachers for access to materials and tools, as well as expertise.
- More regular, dedicated maker programming (e.g., lunchtime club, “stealth” programming)
- Maker “kits” to lend out to staff
- Maker materials for student use during visits/free time
- Makedo and cardboard construction materials
- Electronics and robotics materials (e.g., Micro:bit or Mindstorms; collab opportunity with teachers who obtained a set of Mindstorms through SET-BC grant)
- Handheld sewing/beading materials (collab opportunity with Home Ec teacher)
- 3D printer (Metalwork/Woodwork teachers have one – collab opportunity)
- Areas for student display, e.g., on short shelves, on exterior bulletin board, etc.
- Moveable furniture
- MAKE magazine subscription
Question: Can the vision for makerspace come from outside the LLC and still be sustainable?
Sources:
Young Adult Library Services Association. 2014. Making in the Library Toolkit. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/yalsa/sites/ala.org.yalsa/files/content/MakingintheLibraryToolkit2014.pdf
(Victoria Y) Hi Jessica, I think it is very possible to have the makerspace come from outside the LLC, as schools often have ADST specialist teachers already. Having a team like this can be a great asset to creating a sustainable makerspace, as the responsibility of keeping it alive do not rest on one person. Perhaps, in this case, the teacher-librarian can be the point person/lead who ties these parties together to keep it running? That might consist of scheduling, helping to plan events, booking spaces/opening up the library, and making sure supplies are available, but the teaching and guiding can come from the ADST team that already exists.