What are NH libraries “making”?

At the last annual meeting of the national summer reading collaborative, one of my colleagues asked: “So what kinds of maker spaces do NH libraries have”? I confess that I had little to report to her. Even the concept of maker space was pretty new to me.  However, with the increased focus on STEM education along with the Science theme for next summer’s reading program, I realized that NH better “get with the program” and take a look at maker spaces.

Chris Shoemaker, keynote speaker at the recent YALS Conference in Portsmouth and President-elect of YALSA, spoke about maker spaces in public libraries that embraced activities such as soldering and using 3D printers.  I’ve read about other maker spaces in public libraries across the country where airplane building, bicycle repair and digital video production take place.

Most NH libraries would not be able to conceive of offering these kinds of things due to budget and space constraints. But his larger message of maker spaces as places where people in the community come together to use tools to create and to learn from one another is a concept that nearly all NH public libraries foster even now. Knitting classes, scrapbooking, jewelry making, and lego building are all maker activities. Perhaps we just need to think more imaginatively about other maker activities that we can offer to attract community members who don’t ordinarily use the library. Some librarians report that it’s hard to get people out for programs to hear a speaker, but I wonder if the attendance would be greater if they offered ongoing maker or “do it yourself” programs.  Is there someone who could kickstart a woodworking program or a photo editing workshop? Lots of ideas are out there, but you first have assess your own community’s talents and needs.

Maker spaces appeal to me for the fact that they bring different generations together and often highlight the talents of teens or kids. In many library maker spaces, it is the teens in the community who teach and generate the ideas.

And I admit that I worry that so many people are “plugged in” to their own devices, sitting in their homes with TV, video games, Facebook, cell phones, etc. that we are becoming increasingly isolated as a society. Technology connects, but it also separates us from one another. We are losing the face-to-face contact that demands certain social skills. Having people come together to use technology as a tool to create something tangible and to interact with each other seems to offer a way to break down this isolation.

So, NH library land, what are you doing or planning to do in terms of maker spaces?  Reply to this blog with your answer and I will send you a free book!