Implementing Library Maker Projects Outside of the Makerspace

A Case Study

Abstract

The popularity and relevance of the library makerspace has been well-established and documented in the previous decade of researcher and practitioner work, including numerous hands-on guides from a variety of dimensions relevant to starting and operating a makerspace. Less studied, however, and the focus of this work are the applications of maker technologies within wider library work. Prior qualitative research conducted by the author included interviews with librarians to understand and document their use of maker technologies, such as the Raspberry Pi single-board computer, to support broader library work outside of the makerspace. The findings indicated that common use cases included running library display screens and collecting patron traffic numbers and environmental data. The objective of this subsequent case study is to examine the potential for wider use of such projects by librarians in an academic library setting, by introducing these projects into a new library setting and assessing the related code and educational materials developed by the researcher. This work reports on the findings of the case study, in which the projects were successfully operated in several usage contexts, as well as the challenges and broader implications for adoption within libraries of all types.