Makers in the Library: Developing and Sustaining a Community-Centered Makerspace

Are limited staff, space or budget preventing you from creating a makerspace in your library?

Did your maker programming pause due to the pandemic, and you are not sure how to get it up and running again?

Are you wondering how to develop maker programming that can be flexible and responsive to the unexpected? This webinar series will showcase steps for building and sustaining a maker program in any library and introduces an ongoing process that incorporates, shares and values insights of the community. It is based on the Makers in the Library Toolkit, a practical guide created over three years in collaboration with a group of diverse libraries throughout California.

Each session will focus on various steps of the design process while highlighting a collection of practical, adaptable tools that promote a balanced and inclusionary process not only for creating makerspaces but also conducting evaluation across diverse settings. This workshop will be presented by the co-authors of the Makers in the Library Toolkit along with special guests from libraries around the country, including rural, urban and suburban settings.

Wondering if you have to sign up for the whole series, or if you can pick and choose webinars? While we recommend taking part in the whole series, we have set it up so participants can sign up for individual weeks if that works best for their schedule.

At the end of this webinar series, participants will:

• Know several strategies for involving the local community in their library makerspace for both program content development and ongoing support.
• Be aware of a collection of practical and adaptable tools for implementing maker programming in their own library with limited resources.
• Walk away with new ideas for working with colleagues and partners collaboratively for maker program development and evaluation.
• Learn how a flexible mindset is essential for planning a resilient and sustainable maker program.
• Discover ways to connect with colleagues and build a professional network of support.

Webinar Series Information:

Webinar 1 (April 6, 2022, 12:00-1:00 PM Pacific): Listen and Discover: Connecting with Community (60 min)

Webinar 2 (April 13, 2022, 12:00-1:00 PM Pacific): Brainstorm and Prototype: Out of the Box Thinking and Testing Ideas (60 min)

Webinar 3 (April 20, 2022, 12:00-1:30 PM Pacific): Implementation: The Nitty Gritty of Planning and Preparing Creative Maker Experiences (90 min)

Webinar 4 (April 27, 2022, 12:00-1:00 PM Pacific): Reflect and Refine - Using Evaluation to Strengthen Programs (60 min)

Webinar 5 (May 4, 2022, 12:00-1:00 PM Pacific): Amplify and Grow: Marketing, Fundraising and Professional Growth (60 min)

This webinar series will be of interest to: library program managers, youth librarians, library administrators, library foundations, children’s librarians, adult services librarians.

Please be aware that while registration is unlimited, webinar attendance is limited to the first 500 participants. If the webinar reaches capacity, additional participants will be redirected to a live stream on YouTube.

Zoom live transcriptions will be available.

This webinar series will be recorded, and the recordings, slides, and any other resources will be available via links added to this page within 24 hours after each webinar occurs.

Webinars are free of charge, you can pre-register by clicking on the registration link at the top of this page. To check your system's compatibility with Zoom and/or download software for your computer/tablet/smartphone, see this page.

April 6 Workshop (Slides PDF) (Certificate) 

April 13 Workshop (Slides PDF) (Certificate)

April 20 Workshop (Slides PDF) (Certificate)

April 27 Workshop (Slides PDF) (Certificate)

May 4 Workshop (Slides PDF) (Certificate)