MSU Libraries: Makerspace and Direct Academic Integration
Presentation Type
Presentation (20 minutes)
Presentation Theme
Promote innovative services, programs, or technologies
Start Date
11-8-2015 11:15 AM
End Date
11-8-2015 12:15 PM
Description
Makerspaces, however one may define them, are becoming more commonplace. As libraries have evolved from traditional book lenders into collaborative hubs, they have naturally adopted new technologies that increase their maker potential. This presentation will describe the adaptation of existing space at Michigan State University Main Library, focusing particularly on integration of the technology into academic courses.
The makerspace evolved out of the Copy Center, which was once dedicated to simple 2D printing and copying. It first expanded to contain microforms, lamination, large format printing, book and large-format scanning. More recently, it came to contain an Espresso Book Machine, 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters, and borrowable technology including Makey Makey, Raspberry Pi, and Arduino Sparkfun Inventor’s Kits to empower creative patrons.
In the libraries makerspace we have partnered with several courses on a number of different types of projects. Students have created books for specific assignments (with tailored instruction from us) in journalism, studio art, and comics courses, and many departments or professors have put together anthologies, including Urban Planning, History, Anthropology, Engineering, Professional Writing, STEM, and our Residential College in Arts and Humanities. Sometimes, these contain student work, the professor’s own work, or a combination of content from all of the above and others—one even paired college art students with young campers.
In the realm of 3D printing, we have done projects alongside students and educators in Art, Art History and Design, Entrepreneurship, Interior Design, Packaging, Fashion Design, and Veterinary Medicine. We will describe these in detail, illustrating the extent of our involvement beyond creating the products that were requested, and our vision for future integrative endeavors.
Each partnership with a faculty member or course has enabled us to learn and grow; from how to approach those that may be interested in integrating our services to their coursework, to best practices for doing so. Working directly with faculty and students, we have found creative solutions to a variety of challenges, not only in terms of production, but also copyright and licensing, to fit our patrons’ needs.
As one space amidst a growing landscape of others, both on- and off-campus, we will also discuss the importance of filling our niche and the reason faculty might choose to partner directly with us instead of another space on campus. Specifically, we aim to catch overflow from other departments, and to provide service to the broad community of majors and university-unaffiliated patrons. Our operations run 8am-1am most weekdays, as well as about 8 hours per day on weekends, accommodating more users than most spaces, without any sort of registration or additional tuition fee.
MSU Libraries: Makerspace and Direct Academic Integration
Makerspaces, however one may define them, are becoming more commonplace. As libraries have evolved from traditional book lenders into collaborative hubs, they have naturally adopted new technologies that increase their maker potential. This presentation will describe the adaptation of existing space at Michigan State University Main Library, focusing particularly on integration of the technology into academic courses.
The makerspace evolved out of the Copy Center, which was once dedicated to simple 2D printing and copying. It first expanded to contain microforms, lamination, large format printing, book and large-format scanning. More recently, it came to contain an Espresso Book Machine, 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters, and borrowable technology including Makey Makey, Raspberry Pi, and Arduino Sparkfun Inventor’s Kits to empower creative patrons.
In the libraries makerspace we have partnered with several courses on a number of different types of projects. Students have created books for specific assignments (with tailored instruction from us) in journalism, studio art, and comics courses, and many departments or professors have put together anthologies, including Urban Planning, History, Anthropology, Engineering, Professional Writing, STEM, and our Residential College in Arts and Humanities. Sometimes, these contain student work, the professor’s own work, or a combination of content from all of the above and others—one even paired college art students with young campers.
In the realm of 3D printing, we have done projects alongside students and educators in Art, Art History and Design, Entrepreneurship, Interior Design, Packaging, Fashion Design, and Veterinary Medicine. We will describe these in detail, illustrating the extent of our involvement beyond creating the products that were requested, and our vision for future integrative endeavors.
Each partnership with a faculty member or course has enabled us to learn and grow; from how to approach those that may be interested in integrating our services to their coursework, to best practices for doing so. Working directly with faculty and students, we have found creative solutions to a variety of challenges, not only in terms of production, but also copyright and licensing, to fit our patrons’ needs.
As one space amidst a growing landscape of others, both on- and off-campus, we will also discuss the importance of filling our niche and the reason faculty might choose to partner directly with us instead of another space on campus. Specifically, we aim to catch overflow from other departments, and to provide service to the broad community of majors and university-unaffiliated patrons. Our operations run 8am-1am most weekdays, as well as about 8 hours per day on weekends, accommodating more users than most spaces, without any sort of registration or additional tuition fee.
Comments
www.lib.msu.edu/ebm
www.lib.msu.edu/makeatstate