Makerspaces, one of the biggest growing trends in education technology use, are community areas where resources and technology are provided for students to collaborate and work on projects, typically related to the sciences. Many schools and communities have found that maker spaces work best when put in the school library, and many school librarians are pushing to get makerspaces in theirs.

"Facilitating student creation has been a largely overlooked but increasingly important role for school librarians, according to Leslie Preddy, the president-elect of the Chicago-based American Association of School Librarians," according to Education Week.

As a result, many school librarians are gearing up to get makerspaces in their library. Library media specialist, Angela Rosheim, told Education Week she looked into makerspaces after students began requesting resources she didn't have. Many of her elementary students were interested in robotics and programming, and she didn't yet have the necessary resources.

"In response to her students' needs, she applied for and received an $8,000 grant from the Liberty school district to create a 'maker space' in the school's library. The grant, along with donations and her budget, allowed Ms. Rosheim to stock the space with craft supplies, sewing machines, snap circuits, Lego sets, and a 3-D printer," the Education Week article said.

Because makerspaces are a fairly new but rapidly supported concept, there is little existing data to conclude the educational value they serve in regards to state standard alignment, making it difficult for librarians and educators to get support in endeavors making one.

To find ideas on how to build a makerspace in your library or community, click here. 

To read the full Education Week article, click here.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

05/28/2015