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Welcome to our section on planning for sustainability! If you'd like a guided video tour before navigating this section of the website, please click on the embedded image to the right for a short presentation.
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One of the most exciting things about makerspaces as an extension of library space and function is that this is relatively new territory with virtually limitless possibilities. Even a casual overview of literature on makerspaces showcases librarians who are trying a wide variety of tools, philosophies and resources - the only true common thread is excitement, and the belief that a good makerspace can have a huge impact on the individuals accessing it, in the same way that a good library can.
Common pitfalls or concerns about library makerspaces include exactly what you would expect - a recent survey of school library makerspaces found that budget, space and time were the three top challenges to implementing a school library makerspace. Other research has shown that library staff often have concerns about lack of technological expertise. Though these are legitimate concerns, they are certainly not insurmountable - for example, makerspaces can be built on minimal budgets by investing in low-tech tools, very little space is needed to store mobile maker-carts, and much of the specific technical learning can be done on the job.
The larger concern in starting up a school maker space is figuring out where to begin. In a new movement like this one, you may feel as if you're facing a double-edged sword: on the one hand, there are limitless, exciting possibilities; on the other hand, the movement hasn't been around long enough for any long-term research that might shed light on evidence-based best practices. A recent case study of academic library makerspaces suggested that five main themes emerged that were synonymous with successful makerspaces. According to the research, successful makerspaces:
- Have a Vision and Purpose for the Space
- Develop the Space Around the Need
- Have a Supportive Staffing Model
- Trust Their Users and Give them Creative Autonomy
- Develop the Space with and Around the Community
Though this study focused on academic libraries, common sense suggests that many of the themes reported here are just as important for a successful school library. Of the five factors listed here, only the factor of a supportive staffing model may be outside of the librarian's control. The remaining four factors are likely within the power of the librarian managing the makerspace, and three of those factors directly relate to comprehensive planning.
This is where ESP comes in handy! No, not that kind of ESP - the ESP I'm taking about stands for...
EXTREMELY SERIOUS PLANNING!
EXTREMELY SERIOUS PLANNING!
The planning exercises here will walk you through the basics of planning for a makerspace and creating a mission.
MISSION MAKING
MISSION MAKING
The most crucial step of makerspace planning is to define your goals and create a mission statement. The most successful mission statement will be informed by your library's goals, your school faculty/administration goals and your student's goals.
Because you are considering input from a variety of sources, it's important to do some information gathering and analysis before actually drafting or conceptualizing your library's mission. This is especially true for makerspaces, where the possibilities and goals of a makerspace can vary significantly, and sometimes even be at odds with one another - from a space designed primarily to support classes engaged in hi-tech common core-aligned projects, to a space that is aimed at fostering creativity in individual students through process rather than end-product.
The buttons to your right can help you navigate the information-gathering phase of your planning. Begin with surveys and assessing your individual competencies, then move on to your SWOT analysis. Once you've competed these three steps, you should have a pretty clear indication of where your strengths and weaknesses are, and, based on those strengths and weaknesses, a reasonable mission for your makerspace. This mission should be the driving force behind all of your makerspace investments.
If you've never drafted a mission statement, the worksheet below will get you started.
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