Makerspaces Fad or Necessity?

Martin, Jeanette
ET- New Trends

Willett, R. (2016). Making, Makers, and Makerspaces: A Discourse Analysis of Professional Journal Articles and Blog Posts about Makerspaces in Public Libraries. The Library Quarterly, 86(3), 313-329. doi:10.1086/686676 

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the trend of makerspaces in the public libraries. The article was written for the professional library community to gage how public library spaces are defined in the terms of makerspaces for the community.” Makerspaces are a natural extension of library services” {Britton 2012a, 32). These spaces are place designated in the public library for community activities: be these a shared common activity that increases knowledge, social interaction, informal learning and collaboration. Videogames have been used in makerspaces to enhance risk taking, learning of social networks and having an active learning environment. All public library goals and missions focus on their local community. Willet 2016, states that the “Public libraries’ mission to meet the needs and interests of their local communities is frames as aligning perfectly with makerspaces. Further…access to information as part of a broader mission of providing access to ideas opportunities and leaning community.” (319). Henceforth, an interior design is crucial in incorporating future trends, such as makerspaces for the future of our libraries.

This article was interesting to note how public libraries are reinventing themselves to meet the needs of the local community. However, funding and resources was not a factor in this article. With the push for libraries to be ever relevant space and resources are being taken away from one area to fund or create another. Trend or fad only time well tell. From a perspective as a school library media assistant much of the funding to create some form of makerspace in the library has come from yours truly and even though its great for the kids its not great for my pocketbook.