{"id":12370,"date":"2017-06-13T16:46:26","date_gmt":"2017-06-13T23:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/educatorinnovator.org\/?p=12370"},"modified":"2017-06-29T09:42:52","modified_gmt":"2017-06-29T16:42:52","slug":"moving-past-start-up-supporting-library-makerspaces-over-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educatorinnovator.org\/moving-past-start-up-supporting-library-makerspaces-over-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving Past Start-Up: Supporting Library Makerspaces Over Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of YOUmedia makerspaces band together to innovate and support library makerspaces facing the opportunities and challenges distinctive to the middle, \u201cpost-emergent\u201d years.<\/em><\/p>\n

The start-up phase of any project is often the most heady\u2014long hours, innovative breakthroughs, visionaries with big ideas. But it is often the next stage\u2014the maturing and growth phase\u2014that makes or breaks a new project or idea. Library makerspaces are no different.<\/p>\n

Libraries that launch a makerspace encounter a set of common start-up issues, from identifying appropriate staff to purchasing equipment. Luckily, they can turn to the rich network of YOUmedia Learning Labs for help. But four or five years later, the libraries often encounter an entirely different set of issues and problems, and this \u201cpost-emergent\u201d stage is still new to many.<\/p>\n

Typically these problems are more nuanced and not easily solved. Library makerspaces struggle with issues such as how to nudge teen patrons to move on from hanging out to geeking out, or how to get buy-in from staff who work in other departments in the library, or how to develop an institutional memory amid high staff turnover.<\/p>\n

Since December 2015, five library makerspaces have been joining forces<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to create supports for this phase of the development of library makerspaces. This group included representatives from the Billings Public Library, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Lynn Public Library, Anythink Libraries, and the Free Library of Philadelphia. They worked together to identify common issues and possible solutions. Their findings were presented at the 2016 Digital Media and Learning Conference<\/span><\/a> and will be presented at the American Library Association meeting in June, with a final web publication to follow.<\/p>\n

Planning for Growth and Absorbing Change<\/strong><\/p>\n

Several common challenges surfaced in discussion between the libraries, including staffing, learning and leadership, administration, mission, and program structure. Several libraries in the group struggled with growth and expansion as the work deepens and broadens\u2014and as many partners noted, you need a plan.<\/p>\n

The Free Library in Philadelphia, for example, had started with STEAM programming serving five branches, but it lacked a strategic plan for what it wanted to impart and how. At first, the space was for whatever anyone wanted to do, \u201ckind of a mess,\u201d said Sarah Winchowky at DML 2016<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

But as they evolved, it became clear they needed to step back and define their core mission if they were to successfully serve youth across libraries in five very different neighborhoods. Over a series of weekly meetings, the staff returned to a set of key questions:<\/p>\n