Surveys

Whether or not you conduct formal surveys, informal surveys, survey in person or survey online is a judgement call that you can make best, based on your interpersonal communication skills and your school culture. You'll know the best way to gather the information - you're the information professional! The most important thing is to simply find out what people want and where your students and faculty see value in a makerspace, so you can line that up with your school library mission and goals. If everyone is excited, you're poised for success.

Some questions to consider when you're gathering viewpoints:

• What materials do other teachers want in a makerspace? Do they want a space for students to explore their creativity alone or in small groups, or do they envision the makerspace as a classroom extension where they can come for project-based, collaborative projects? Or both?
• What do students want in a makerspace? Do they want legos? Robotics? Art supplies? Technology? Do they want a space where they can come in groups? Do they want space for individual projects? When do they think they'll use the makerspace?
• Has anyone else on campus already created a mini-makerspace in their classroom? (For example, art teachers or science teachers?) If they have, would it make sense to collaborate together in one space, or does it make more sense to create a new space with different resources and tools?
• Make sure that in addition to surveying your own school and students, you reach out to other school librarians who have already taken the plunge, and talk one-on-one with them about their own successes and challenges.

If you want to go the online survey route, you may want to try SurveyMonkey.