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August 6, 2013 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Teen Makerspaces @ Your Library

August 6, 2013 by Karen Jensen, MLS   1 comments

Have you gotten your August 2013 issue of VOYA yet?  There are several articles in there about creating teen makerspaces in your library. 

I actually just wrote a proposal at my library to create a Mobile Makerspace at my library.  Why mobile?  We are a smaller branch with limited space, so I can’t create a makerspace in the open parts of my library.  And our meeting/program room gets used A LOT so I can’t set up shop there, we need the space to meet the needs of our community.  So I decided to go mobile.

The first part of my Mobile Makerspace involves storage carts on wheels, a ton of Legos, a ton of Duct Tape, cutting boards and, scariest of all, safety cutting blades (regular scissors don’t work well for Duct Tape).  My goal is to be able to easily move the items in and out of the meeting room to have my makerspace programs.  The initial cost wasn’t bad, around $1,000.  And it has broad appeal for school age, tween and teens.  It allows them to get their creativity and problem solving on in a safe, social environment.  Eventually I would love to add some higher tech elements, but this is the right starting point for my library.

Definitely check out the August issue for more discussion.  There is a great article in there by Erinn Batykefer from The Library as Incubator Project, “The Youth Maker Library” (page 20), as well as two articles by yours truly.  There is also a good article from Nicola McDonald on incorporating maker ideas at your library.  You can read it all in the digital issue of VOYA which is available online at the moment.

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Does your library incorporate any makerspace ideas?  Please share with us.  We’d love to know what you are doing.

Read More:
Is It Time to Rebuild & Retool Public Libraries and Make Them “Tech Shops”?
The Library as Incubator Project posts tagged “Makerspace”
ALA: Manufacturing Makerspaces
Library as Makerspace

Karen

Filed under: Makerspace, Programming

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About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

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Comments

  1. Monica Cantu says

    August 22, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    I have decided to launch a maker movement at my campus this year! We are a STEM school, so I'm currently brainstorming and gathering ideas to support this. I'm also looking forward to including craft and writing workshops as well. The kick-off will be supported by a $500 grant, and I'll probably have a once-weekly or once-monthly maker session to stretch the budget. Can't wait! Thank you for these resources. I love this site!

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