Makerspace for Libraries

[Subeesh A C]

A makerspace is a learning environment, whether self or through a guide. It can be established independently or with an organization. Since Library is there as the heart of any organization, by being a learning environment it automatically finds a place adjacent to our Library, sometimes inside our library.

 Makerspaces for libraries

We the Library staff, better than anyone know that, our libraries are not just books now a days. Makerspace is a facility for our users to think and act creatively by harnessing ideas from our information resources. Librarian can be a great leader in this aspect by teaching them creativity by being creative and making the space creative.

At this current scenario, where librarians value is being constantly tested, is a well planned, designed and serviced makerspace for libraries, categorized by the user group,  going to boost the status of its leader, the Librarian? Is it not the responsibility of an Information House and its staff to create Creative Professionals/Innovators for the sake of our nation and its people?  Or do we want to just keep ourselves stay in the storing, visibility and access technologies of information?

 

We have a set up  called Information and Creativity Centre in our Library, whether it is used by all or not, we are happy that if one fellow turn up asking for some facility with an immediate access to reference materials, we have it to serve in the modern set up.

Up to you to choose it or discard it. More suited to school libraries, because the creativity buds blooms from that arena. If our schools are following a practical oriented, case study enabled, collaborative pedagogy, this will bring far fetching results, not only for the students but also for the Librarian.

 

See in a way we are growing, and it is a chance to grow with them and with the world.

 

For a better world.

 

Subeesh A C

Pune.

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Sri Subeesh A.C.

Thanks for your post.

As usual,(& as always) this one is also quite thought provoking indeed!!

The "makerspace" as you defined, seems (to me as/) to be sort of dedicated reference service!!

Admittedly, the approaches of users to libraries are diminishing gradually& admittedly, e-materials are certainly playing a considerable role for such endeavour. However, it is also a fact that dedicated service has also become scarce in these days. One possible reason might be that a gap is being widened between the users and the library staff as the users' visit to libraries becoming quite occasional day by day.

During hard copy days users had no alternative but to come to the Library, browse books and journals and so on. In this process, a bond used to develop among the users and the library staff. This used to influence service to a great extent as the library staff often had the feelings that his/her contribution effected in writing a paper or doing some experiments in labs. This bondage or relationship is virtually nonexistent at present because the dependence over the library became significantly low. Both the library staff and the users are moving around their own orbits and their confluence is rather few and far between. As such, the urge to serve among the present day library professionals is quite remote and what had been a very natural and spontaneous phenomena a few decades ago, is virtually obscure at the present phase of time.

I only hope that with the advent of makerspaces, the service in its new avtaar will recreate its own useful space in today's environment.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta