1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
The first talk discusses an interdisciplinary faculty team from the library and industrial technology departments at Allan Hancock College who successfully applied for and won a $350,000 grant to build a makerspace from the ground up, courtesy of the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Without a dedicated space, but with great drive, the team began from scratch, reaching out to the community, arranging paid student internships, working collaboratively across the disciplines (from the library to industrial tech to fine arts, electronics to culinary arts to graphics, and more). It is an ongoing collaborative venture and is starting to catch the attention of the larger community. The second presentation focuses on the Creative Media Studio at CSUN’s Oviatt Library, which like other makerspaces, has been a success doing work outside of its walls in exploring and building the maker culture around campus. From events and workshops to classes that explore interdisciplinary learning, maker culture is not, and should not be, restricted to the walls of a makerspace. Presenters not only focus on why having a makerspace is an important step in fomenting innovation, but also on how academic libraries can embrace other strategies to support and encourage campus innovation. Get insights and ideas to develop similar programs on your campus or within your community.
