Some libraries are providing more customer friendly services which are accessible to low level readers. The following summarizes a new trend --where libraries are moving from knowledge preserving to knowledge creation. These places are meant to be fun--even for adults, and since they foster making things--many adult learners may find the library a friendlier place for them to learn. Maker Spaces can also be centers for family literacy activities providing opportunities for Parent and Child Together Time.
The public library in Orlando is putting together a maker space. If your library is doing this, let us know. Or, you may want to talk with library staff to express your interest in partnering with the library as a volunteer literacy program. These spaces are very dependent on partnerships and volunteers.
Library of the Future
THE MAKINGS OF MAKER SPACES. By: Britton, Lauren, Library Journal, 03630277,
10/1/2012, Vol. 137, Issue 16
A Maker space refers to people
coming together to create and share resources, knowledge, and
"stuff." It fosters a creation
culture. The equipment and programming required is based on the purpose of the
makerspace. The ideal maker space is meant to be fun!
"The biggest impediment to
personal fabrication is not technical; it's already possible to effectively do
it," Gershenfeld writes. "And it's not training; the just-in-time
peer-to-peer model works as well in the field as at MIT. Rather, the biggest
limitation is simply the lack of knowledge that this is even possible."
Bleiweis says that, in true Maker
fashion, the library
doesn't know where it's going next with its Maker space. They are allowing the
space to evolve naturally. Bleiweis says
the library is there to provide the
framework, not to be in charge. She says there is a shift from a librarian
being the person who had all of the answers to the person who has questions and
the ability to find the answers.
Susan Hildreth, director of IMLS.
"We need to leverage what we know about learning and our trusted role as
learning places to help prepare our visitors for success in today's digital
world. Maker culture is one way for libraries to support innovation and
creativity, using library space
in ways that people both want and need. The IMLS stands ready to support
libraries in this way."
R. David Lankes, professor and
dean's scholar for New Librarianship at Syracuse University, writes in The
Atlas of New Leadership, "Librarianship is not about artifacts, it is about
knowledge and facilitating knowledge creation. So what should we be spending
our precious resources on? Knowledge creation tools, not the results of
knowledge creation."
