Maker Space Madness for the Minimalist
When exploring something new, seeing examples of what others have done has always been the best way for me to learn. I look forward to seeing others' visions, which always help me expand my view of what something could look like. I can become easily overwhelmed when I see the grandness of what others produce and start to doubt how I will be able to accomplish this, too. For this reason, the resources I have chosen are for librarians who are beginners when it comes to creating maker spaces.
1-How to Start a Makerspace When You’re Broke
Diana Rendina is the author of the article "How to Start a Makerspace When You’re Broke". She believes that the idea that you need a lot of money to start a maker space is a myth. Many everyday items, such as toilet paper rolls, cardboard, buttons, etc., can be collected and used in maker spaces. An important aspect is to share your vision with others so they might come on board and support you, either with volunteer hours or donations of items to be used in the maker space. Other ways to gain supplies may be through crowdfunding or reusing items that are already available in your building.
2-Makerspace for Little or Nothing
Gweneth Jones ( The Daring Librarian), the author of the article "Makerspace for Little or Nothing,” advocates that less is more when it comes to maker space. Even after seven years of using maker spaces in her library, she shies away from making large purchases such as 3D printers or robotics. She encourages those who don’t have the physical space to start out slowly using AV carts to do projects such as origami or Lego, which can then be stored away until next time.
3-Elementary Library Makerspace Resources
Collette Jakubowicz is the owner and founder of Mrs J in the library. This site provides options for those who are interested in purchasing makerspace resources, lists of wonderful blogs to follow, and free makerspace resources.
To conclude this resource list, I wanted to reiterate the importance of seeing examples of what others have done. As I mentioned, this has always been the best way for me to learn, and I am sure this is the case for many other teachers and librarians. These tasks can be extremely daunting to start without guidance. With the help of the online communities I am a part of and the resources I have been taught to consult from other teachers around me, these projects have become much more approachable and accessible to educators in general. Although resources may be limited in some areas when it comes to creating a Maker Space, creative ideas online will never be in short supply!
I appreciate the approach you took with your research. The arguments against Makerspaces tend to revolve around cost and mess. You have countered these arguments right off the start by considering minimalist and cost-effective strategies. As you move forward, I encourage you to include additional resources from non-traditional sources (podcasts, videos). You mention learning from online communities; perhaps include a list of who to follow from where. These would be good takeaways for your reader.
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