Dan Alexander (NEKLS), Heather Braum (NEKLS), and Erin Downey Howerton (Wichita Public Library) presented at the 2014 SWKLS Technology Day on maker culture. Session description: Maker culture, maker spaces, and content creation are new movements in libraries -- or are they? People have always created, with the help of library resources. The maker movement in libraries goes much further than resources by providing space, tools, mentors, more resources, and even programming to help people make and create even more! Public libraries have been the main focus of maker spaces, but school and academic libraries can also participate! This session will provide a brief primer on the maker movement and its culture, showcase how libraries are developing maker programming and spaces in their libraries, explain why libraries should embrace this movement, and how you can do it -- with plenty of resources to help!

1. Duct Tape, Circuits,
& Knitting, Oh My!
Maker Culture
at Your Library
Dan Alexander (NEKLS)
Heather Braum (NEKLS)
Erin Howerton (Wichita PL)
Source: http://goo.gl/F2XnTS

2. Before the cool
stuff....

3. quilting
stencils
knitting
books
welding
howtos
car repair
manuals
cake pans
altered
books
knitting
clubs
card
creating
Do you offer these?

4. lego clubs
robotics
duct tape
classes
pottery
clothing
creation
gardening
jewelry
repair
electricity
Do you offer these?

5. music
crafting
digital
creation
crazy
summer
projects
writing
clubs
game
design
3D
printing
computer
programming
Do you offer these?

6. John
Seely
Brown
Henry
Jenkins
Howard
Rheingold
Buffy
Hamilton
Ann
Marie
Thomas
David
Lankes
Gary
Stager
Chris
Anderson
People

7. Books

8. participatory
learning
DIY
entrepreneurial
learning
STEM/
STEAM
return
to play
new
librarianship
Ideas
constructivism
learning
to fail

9. How did we get to today’s movement?
DIY Culture for millennia
Craftsmanship -- master/apprentice
Learning through doing
Source: http://goo.gl/pWu0kd

10. How did we get to today’s movement?
Mass production
Expensive products
Popular Mechanics & Farmers & Crafters
Source: http://goo.gl/2a06G1

11. How did we get to today’s movement?
Cheap manufactured goods
DIY Dark Age (1970-2000)
Explosion of the Internet
Source: http://goo.gl/4Rbz6M

12. How did we get to today’s movement?
Sustainability movement
People desperate to create, learn, socialize
Libraries’ role in past & present
Source: http://goo.gl/nSQJ6o

13. Discussion & Questions
Source: http://goo.gl/UpzNY

14. DIY Tools
High Tech
Low Tech
No Tech

15. High
Tech
DIY
Tools
Desktop Manufacturing

16. High
Tech
DIY
Tools
Desktop
Manufacturing
Desktop 3D Printers
Desktop 3D Scanners
Desktop CNC Machines

17. High
Tech
DIY
Tools
Electronics

18. High
Tech
DIY
Tools
Electronics
Raspberry Pi
Arduino
Circuitry Projects

19. High
Tech
DIY
Tools
Projection

20. High
Tech
DIY
Tools
Projection
Projection Mapping
VPT
Facade Signage

21. Low
Tech
DIY
Tools
Papercraft

22. Low
Tech
DIY
Tools
Papercraft
Pepakura Designer
Papercraft Museum

23. Low
Tech
DIY
Tools
Digital & Vinyl Cutters

24. Low
Tech
DIY
Tools
Digital &
Vinyl Cutters
Silhouette Cameo
KNK Zing
Silver Bullet

25. Low
Tech
DIY
Tools
Templates

26. Low
Tech
DIY
Tools
Templates
Carvings
Enlargements
Screen Printing

27. No
Tech
DIY
Tools
Gardening/Canning

28. No
Tech
DIY
Tools
Textiles

29. No
Tech
DIY
Tools
Woodworking

30. No
Tech
DIY
Tools
Vehicle & Bicycle

31. No
Tech
DIY
Tools
Crafting

32. No
Tech
DIY
Tools
Cooking

33. The Most
Valuable Tool
?

34. You &
Your Community
Source: http://goo.gl/ewc1h

35. Discussion & Questions
Source: http://goo.gl/UpzNY

36. Let’s...Improve Summer
Reading Programming
• assets
• enthusiasm
• expertise

37. Let’s Get a Partnership
extend the message
amp up the activities
connect to community resources

38. But how can we fund it?
• Local STEM/STEAM money
• Not the traditional summer reading/
programming support
• Grants through professional organizations

39. Planning with Collaborators
Structured, regular access to programs
Variety of things to try
Pilot with regulars

40. What Worked?
• Group activities save $$$
• Process-based rather than product-based
projects help, too

41. Motor Activity

42. Music Program

43. Stop Motion Animation

44. Magnetic Obstacle Course

45. What Didn’t Work?
• Low-tech & retro tech wasn’t a hit

46. Lessons Learned
Dramatically increased male attendance &
engagement
Females relished opportunity to work in groups

47. Lessons Learned
Everyone loved writing stories & making new
friends
Things that weren’t easily available at home
were the big draw

48. Lessons Learned
380% increase in program attendance over last
summer
Repeats requested & being delivered

49. Lessons Learned
Making can happen...
Anywhere!

50. Discussion & Questions
Source: http://goo.gl/UpzNY

51. Info & Contact Us
• Presentation Information: www.nekls.org/?p=14024
• includes slides, link to list of resources, & more!
• Contact us
• Dan: dalexander@nekls.org
• Heather: hbraum@nekls.org / @hbraum
• Erin: erindowney@gmail.com / @hybridlib