Library Makerspace challenges, teaches, and encourages students

Isabella Mahal

Photo Credit: Lana Fain

This school year, library media specialist Lana Fain of Fossil Ridge High School is revamping and re-launching the Makerspace that has been in the media center since March. According to Fain, “libraries are moving towards learning commons/Makerspaces where it’s no longer the quiet, just ‘sit there and study and get yelled at if you talk loudly’ kind of place.” Fossil’s library is advancing with the times. Currently featuring a variety of board games, hands-on creative activities, and multiple 3D printers, the space has something for every student, whether they want to learn to sew, build a circuit, or best their friends at foosball.

Presently, one of the most trafficked areas of the Makerspace is the tables that include backgammon, mancala, checkers, and chess. Students have access to these games any time the media center is open. This year, more games were added in different parts of the library, so students should be sure to look around if it ever seems like the tables are occupied.

Fossil students may already be aware that the library hosts several 3D printers. What less know is that anyone can print something on them to keep, even if they don’t have any 3D experience. They simply have to purchase the filament that the print is made from, which runs from about $0.50 for a fidget spinner to $5 for a sculpture the size of a pencil cup. Thingiverse is a website with thousands of 3D designs that can be sent straight to the printer, and students can pick something from it to make themselves. Fain would even encourage anyone who knows how to work with Solidworks or Tinkercad to try printing one of their own designs.

Other technologically-savvy students can enjoy less time-consuming activities in the Makerspace as well. In the seating area right outside the Tech office are snap circuit boards that include directions about how to put a small machine together. When connected correctly, the batteries can power a tiny fan or release a noise when exposed to water. Fain is happy to consider student and teacher input on other additions to the technology Makerspace. Soon, a Lego Robotics EV3 Mindstorm set will be added to the collection of learning tools for students. A larger 3D printer is also under consideration for purchase, which would have an 11”x11”x11” space to accommodate bigger projects.

The biggest changes to the Makerspace lie along the southern wall, in the space where newspapers and magazines used to be found. Students very rarely used those items, so they have been moved to allow for an arts and crafts station. A sewing machine sits on the table, and there are plenty of fabric swatches in the wooden cabinet that Fain purchased. There are also several miniature looms in the crafts space, along with multicolored yarn that can be used for weaving, knitting, and crocheting. At the moment, the final pieces that students will find in the Makerspace are the coloring books, spirographs, and jewelry making kit on top of the craft organizer.

If all goes according to plan, the Makerspace will soon have one more interesting feature – ukuleles. Fain started playing last summer and now describes herself as “a pretty big uke aficionado.” As an instrument, the uke is very accessible to people because it is easily transportable and only requires knowing a few chords. Fain hopes to start with three or four instruments, and if there is student interest, perhaps even initiate a ukulele club where students could get together and learn to play. When purchased, the ukuleles will hang behind the checkout desk until a student wishes to check one out.

At this point in the process, Fain’s biggest concern about the Makerspace is that there aren’t enough volunteers to staff it. She is responsible for managing book checkouts and other library-related tasks, but also wants to help students who want to learn to sew or print a plastic rose. Without any student aides for the semester, the different aspects of the media center can be overwhelming. Parents who wish to give back to the school are welcome to sign up as volunteers, and would be greatly appreciated.

Meant to be an “active, participatory, hands-on experience”, the expansion of Fossil’s Makerspace will benefit a huge variety of students. The last question that remains is what it should be called moving forwards. The words “Makerspace” and “Fablab” are being used more and more often across the country, but Fain would love it if a student or teacher came up with something more unique to Fossil’s own population. If anyone has an idea, Fain would love to hear it.