This document summarizes the makerspace initiatives at the University of Nevada, Reno libraries. It describes the four main types of makerspaces and highlights the features and resources available at the DeLaMare Science and Engineering Library makerspace, including 3D printers, electronics workstations, and tools for collaboration. The document emphasizes that the goal of the makerspace is to engage students in hands-on learning and the creation of new knowledge through access to technology and skills-sharing. Staff members discuss how the makerspace is shifting the culture of the library and encouraging innovation and interdisciplinary work.
Academic Libraries as Makerspace: Engaging students in the creating of new knowledge
1. Academic Libraries as Makerspace:
Engaging students in the creation of
new knowledge
Kathlin L. Ray
University of Nevada, Reno
Nov. 11-13, 2014
2. • Tier One* land grant university
• 19,000 students
• 4 libraries
• Knowledge Center
• DeLaMare Science & Engineering
• Savitt Medical
• Basque Studies
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO
*US News & World Report 2014
3. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO
[Note: Originally the heart of campus, the historic quad remains the traditional setting for Commencement activities,
and provides a pleasant place for picnics, concerts, and quiet reflection. Since 1987, the University of Nevada, Reno
Quadrangle has been listed as a "Jeffersonian academic village" on the National Register of Historic Places, as the
campus core follows Thomas Jefferson's design for the University of Virginia Lawn. The lovely, giant elm trees were
planted in 1908. ]
4. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO
[note: The Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center, above, was built in 2008 at the center of
campus, and along with the Crowley Student Union. The library is the new heart of the
campus.]
5. What is a makerspace, anyway?
Four types
•FabLabs
•Hackerspaces
•TechShops
•Makerspaces
11. UNR’s DeLaMare Library was named
one of the Most Interesting Makerspaces
in America. Make Magazine Aug/Sept 2014
12. Maker space = maker culture
• Values inclusiveness
• Provides access to tools / resources
• Supports open source
• Fosters collaboration
• Champions innovation
• Facilitates sharing of knowledge / skills
• Promotes hands-on learning and DIY
13. Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
“A pioneering information environment
designed to nurture creativity and stimulate
intellectual inquiry.”
14. “The single greatest intellectual force and
competitive advantage in the 21st
century is the rapid assimilation of new
knowledge to fuel innovation…”
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
Vision
15. “New knowledge, applied to existing
tasks, results in increased productivity;
new knowledge applied to new
challenges and tasks is fundamental to
innovation…”
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
Vision, contd
16. “Recognizing this critical interplay
between knowledge and innovation,
UNR has established one of the
first centers in the nation
built specifically to embrace these
dynamics of the 21st century.”
Steve Zink, former VPIT
University of Nevada, Reno
Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center
Vision, contd
32. Ben King, Chemistry faculty
“one of the very hard things about
teaching chemistry is explaining
that molecules have shape. This
basically removes that obstacle ...
so it will change how we teach
chemistry and how we look at
molecules on a daily basis. It's
also just plain fun."
Photo by Tod Colegrove:
Photo of King by Jason Hildago from Engadget:
http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/19/reshaping-universities-through-3d-printing/
34. Photo by Tod Colegrove:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstl_unr/
Patrick, marketing + psychology (minor)
35. Heather, math education + tutor
Photo by Nick Crowl:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dstl_unr/
“I think 3D printing is awesome. Now if I
can’t find a [math educational] resource, I
can just make one.”
55. “The academic library’s shift
from a repository of collections
to a catalyst for discovery and creation
is now happening across the globe.
More than ever, libraries are essential
as the place where people,
knowledge, and research intersect
to tackle our world’s greatest challenges.”
4 Ways Academic Libraries Are Adapting For The Future, Fast Company, Oct. 2014
A FabLab is a type of makerspace that was created by the Center for Bits and Atoms headed by Prof. Dr. Neil Gershenfeld at MIT. It began as an outreach project to provide access to modern means for invention such as electronics equipment, laser cutters, routers and milling machines in order to enable makers to create nearly anything. There are currently over 200 FabLabs in over 30 countries around the world.
Also called a hacklab or hackspace, hackerspaces are places where computer programmers, makers, DIY’ers and artists converge to collaborate and socialize. Hackerspaces have been around since 1995 with the founding of c-base in Berlin which according to Wikipedia is one of the first independent, stand-alone hackerspaces in the world, not affiliated with a school, university, or company. Hackerspaces were originally started by computer hackers however they have since expanded to encompass many other activities such as creating physical objects, conducting instructional workshops, etc. There are currently over 1,800 hackerspaces in over 20 countries around the world.
TechShops are a chain of for-profit spaces which offer public access to industrial tools and equipment such as welding equipment, sewing machines, woodworking equipment, 3D printers, and more to build their own projects. They charge a membership fee beginning a $125/month. They currently have 8 shops in the US with their flagship shop in San Francisco and future locations in Dublin and Munich.
Makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. The usually have 3D printers as well as electronic equipment available, some also have metalworking, woodworking, and traditional arts and crafts equipment available. They are used by schools and libraries to provide valuable skills in math and engineering to children and patrons of all ages.
A FabLab is a type of makerspace that was created by the Center for Bits and Atoms headed by Prof. Dr. Neil Gershenfeld at MIT. It began as an outreach project to provide access to modern means for invention such as electronics equipment, laser cutters, routers and milling machines in order to enable makers to create nearly anything. There are currently over 200 FabLabs in over 30 countries around the world. Fab labs provide widespread access to modern means for invention. They began as an outreach project from MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA). CBA assembled millions of dollars in machines for research in digital fabrication, ultimately aiming at developing programmable molecular assemblers that will be able to make almost anything. Fab labs fall between these extremes, comprising roughly fifty thousand dollars in equipment and materials that can be used today to do what will be possible with tomorrow's personal fabricators.Fab labs have spread from inner-city Boston to rural India, from South Africa to the North of Norway. Activities in fab labs range from technological empowerment to peer-to-peer project-based technical training to local problem-solving to small-scale high-tech business incubation to grass-roots research. Projects being developed and produced in fab labs include solar and wind-powered turbines, thin-client computers and wireless data networks, analytical instrumentation for agriculture and healthcare, custom housing, and rapid-prototyping of rapid-prototyping machines.
Fab labs share core capabilities, so that people and projects can be shared across them. This currently includes:
A computer-controlled lasercutter, for press-fit assembly of 3D structures from 2D parts
A larger (4'x8') numerically-controlled milling machine, for making furniture- (and house-) sized parts
A signcutter, to produce printing masks, flexible circuits, and antennas
A precision (micron resolution) milling machine to make three-dimensional molds and surface-mount circuit boards
Programming tools for low-cost high-speed embedded processors
These work with components and materials optimized for use in the field, and are controlled with custom software for integrated design, manufacturing, and project management. This inventory is continuously evolving, towards the goal of a fab lab being able to make a fab lab.
Also called a hacklab or hackspace, hackerspaces are places where computer programmers, makers, DIY’ers and artists converge to collaborate and socialize. Hackerspaces have been around since 1995 with the founding of c-base in Berlin which according to Wikipedia is one of the first independent, stand-alone hackerspaces in the world, not affiliated with a school, university, or company. Hackerspaces were originally started by computer hackers however they have since expanded to encompass many other activities such as creating physical objects, conducting instructional workshops, etc. There are currently over 1,800 hackerspaces in over 20 countries around the world.
TechShops are a chain of for-profit spaces which offer public access to industrial tools and equipment such as welding equipment, sewing machines, woodworking equipment, 3D printers, and more to build their own projects. They charge a membership fee beginning a $125/month. They currently have 8 shops in the US with their flagship shop in San Francisco and future locations in Dublin and Munich.
Makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. The usually have 3D printers as well as electronic equipment available, some also have metalworking, woodworking, and traditional arts and crafts equipment available. They are used by schools and libraries to provide valuable skills in math and engineering to children and patrons of all ages.
The concept of a hackerspace started in Europe (anyone recognize the German linguistic construction?) as a collection of programmers (i.e., the traditional use of the term ‘hacker’) sharing a physical space. Hackerspaces have been around since 1995 with the founding of c-base in Berlin which according to Wikipedia is one of the first independent, stand-alone hackerspaces in the world, not affiliated with a school, university, or company. Hackerspaces were originally started by computer hackers however they have since expanded to encompass many other activities such as creating physical objects, conducting instructional workshops, etc. There are currently over 1,800 hackerspaces in over 20 countries around the world. Interestingly, the definition of the terms ‘hacking’ and ‘hacker’ started expanding to include working on physical objects as these spaces grew in popularity, and sought to differentiate themselves from the largely negative connotations of the term ‘hacking’ presented in the mainstream media. These spaces produced a couple of revolutionary businesses, including the well-known MakerBot Industries (born out of NYC Resistor), which is now in the process of dramatically changing the 3D printing industry.
An Arduino workshop at the Noisebridge hackerspace in San Francisco.
NYCResistor's tagline is: "we learn, share, and make things.
TechShops are a chain of for-profit spaces which offer public access to industrial tools and equipment such as welding equipment, sewing machines, woodworking equipment, 3D printers, and more to build their own projects. They charge a membership fee beginning a $125/month. They currently have 8 shops in the US with their flagship shop in San Francisco and future locations in Dublin and Munich. TechShop is a chain of member-based workshops that lets people of all skill levels come in and use industrial tools and equipment to build their own projects.
Makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. The term ‘makerspace’ didn’t really exist in the public sphere until 2005 or so, however, when MAKE Magazine was published for the first time. The term didn’t really become popular until early 2011, when Dale and MAKE Magazineregistered makerspace.com and started using the term to refer to publicly-accessible places to design and create The usually have 3D printers as well as electronic equipment available, some also have metalworking, woodworking, and traditional arts and crafts equipment available. They are used by schools and libraries to provide valuable skills in math and engineering to children and patrons of all ages.
How did UNR libraries create a successful makerspace? It started with the MIKC, a great example of a 21st century academic library.
So what’s
The Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center: high tech, high touch. This is the front lobby and atrium.
Combines technology, culture, art and community.
The Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center: high tech, high touch. Combines technology, culture, art and community.
The library serves as an important cultural center (Cardboard Gandhi by art professor, Joe Delappe); DeLaMare displays an award winning concrete canoe.
Automated Storage and Retrieval system holds 1.5 million volumes in a much smaller footprint than book stacks. Stored materials are easily and quickly retrievable and floor space is freed up for group study, collaboration zones, computer workstations and makerspaces.
The @One floor of the Knowledge Center is a mecca of leading edge technology and media production: the DataWorks lab for geospacial, mathematical and statistical needs; a poster and image production area; the Dynamic Media Lab for digital creation and production; high end editing room; professional sound booth, and green screen studio. There’s also equipment checkout: laptops, cameras, video cameras, sound equipment, iPads and other tablets, etc. In @One, we consciously privilege the image over the text.
The library inside this beautiful, historic building on the campus quad became the test bed for our emerging DIY makerspace.
From a quiet, low use branch library to a thriving vibrant hive of activity.
DeLaMare director Tod Colegrove reached out and got engineering, chemistry and computer science faculty to hold office hours and ad hoc classes, do student presentations, etc in the library. Above, a computer science class is presenting their semester projects – they had to create games that would play on our MS Surface.
It takes lendable technology. DeLaMare circulation desk now checks out Google Glass, LEGO Mindstorms NXT, Arduino kits, Occulus Rift, and more.
Whiteboard paint on the walls encourages ad hoc study groups.
In DeLaMare Science and Engineering Library, a 3D printing workspace features a Stratasys uPrint SE Plus. Lower end production level machine not a hobby model like MakerBot. We tried MakerBot but it broke down way too often.
This type of 3D printing or additive manufacturing is similar to cake decorating i.e. squeezing frosting through a hole in a plastic bag. The ABS plastic is heated (to liquefy) then forced through the extrusion nozzle as the head moves back and forth across the bed or build platform. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Basically, 3D printing lays down thin layers of plastic and as the layers build up, a 3 dimensional object is formed. Above are a few examples of the many objects that have been created on our 3D printers during the first 3.5 months of operation.
Who uses our 3D printing service? Faculty use it for many things including instructional and research purposes.
…and for research purposes. The Tower of Piza shown here is fresh from the 3D printer and shows both build and support material. After being placed in a solvent bath, the support material dissolves and only the build material remains. In the finished Tower of Piza, you can see past the delicate spiral staircase and into the center of the tower. Impressive.
Students love our 3D printer. Paintball pro Patrick is working on a top secret prototype, a project that could end the huge waste problem of unexploded paint balls. He is currently seeking a patent.
Heather started with artisanal skulls but ended up creating a variety of mathematical objects to help her students learn abstract concepts, like this cosine bowl.
It’s about radical collaboration, about reaching out to others in the libraries, on campus and in the community. It’s about offering workshops and events that bring different kinds of expertise together and encourage innovation.
Engineering students in DeLaMare creating a hovercraft: used our laser cutter, 3D printer and Arduino kits to make a functional hovercraft.
DeLaMare and the Knowledge Center worked together to host a successful Arduino Day.
(Arduino Day)
We combined the digital strengths of the Knowledge Center with 3D printing in DeLaMare to create active learning environments that engage students. One example: using gift funds, we developed an intensive multimedia summer bootcamp for area high school students. The “knowledge workers” of tomorrow need access to a wide range of technology and the library has the tools, equipment and staff expertise they need.
Start with low tech makerspace activities. The students love them.
“There are two critical things to realize. First, play is not trivial, frivolous or non-serious, in fact, quite the opposite. Play can be the place where we do our most serious learning. And second, it is something we do all the time. When we explore, we play. When we experiment, we play. When we tinker or fiddle, we play. Science is play. Art is play. Life, to a great extent, is play. Every great invention of the past hundred years has had an element of play in its creation. So we are using the word in a very deep and serious way.”
-John Seely Brown
Engaging activities require extraordinary folks like Tod Colegrove, who pitch in to make good things happen.
Culture shift is brought about by energetic and adventurous librarians such as Tod Colegrove and Chrissy Klenke. DIY librarians. Because of the many challenges involved in making transformative changes success depends on entrepreneurial staff to champion projects, embrace ambiguity and who are humble enough to learn alongside the students.
Failure is part of the strategy (it’s not a bug, it’s a feature!) Try again.
Learning faster by failing faster.