School Library Makerspaces

An essential resource for intermediate, middle, and high school librarians that guides the planning, learning, and implementation of a school library makerspace.The roles of school library media specialists and school libraries themselves are ever changing in response to the needs of the community and the evolution of human thinking, interaction, and learning processes. A school library makerspace can provide patrons with a place for learning, doing, and creating. It offers a location for tackling inventions, fine arts, crafts, industrial technology, hobbies, e-textiles, foodcrafting, DIY couture, fabrication, upcycling, and STEM right in the middle of the information gateway—the library. This book completely explains the makerspace concept and supplies real-world implementation guidance and inexpensive programming ideas that can be used as-is or adapted to suit a specific library or community's needs. Readers will be able to hit the ground running to implement their own makerspace with practical project ideas they can put to use immediately.Explains how to transform school libraries—always considered a destination for thinking and learning—to also be the place of doing, creating, and producingSupplies practical guidance on makerspace design, safety, instruction, budget, mentoring, and moreIncludes a "Think, Create, Share, and Grow" section with each makerspace activity that supplies learning and enrichment resources, guidance, and step-by-step how-to instructionsProvides appendixes of national and local events; of ideas and supplies for makerspace activities; and of maker communities and maker resources

"This guide to setting up and justifying a makerspace begins promisingly with practical and helpful information on topics such as space and setup, budgeting, necessary materials, equipment, and safety rules. Preddy connects the idea of the school library makerspace with the AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner as well as the common core and the STEM movement." - School Library Journal

Leslie B. Preddy is the president of AASL and has been the school librarian at Perry Meridian Middle School in Indianapolis, IN, since 1992.