“implementing a culture of creativity: engaging events and making in the academic library
TRANSCRIPT
IMPLEMENTING A CULTURE OF CREATIVITY: ENGAGING EVENTS AND MAKING IN THE ACADEMIC LIBRARYMEGAN LOTTS, ART LIBRARIAN
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
ABSTRACT
This paper will explore the importance of engaging events within Academic Libraries that
feature an interactive or making aspect. The author will include a review of innovative
programming happening in Academic Libraries throughout the United States. As well this paper
will look briefly at Makerspaces and how to create low budget creative making activities.
This paper will present four interactive making projects coordinated by the author including:
Woodblock Woodstock, Holiday Card Maker Space, Edible Books and a Polynomiography
event for Rutgers Day. The author will discuss the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration
and how these events bring value to the creative culture within the Library. Engaging making
events can be educational, fun, and encourage individuals to embrace the library as an
important innovative place within their community. This paper will be of interest to individuals
who create engaging events within any library, museum, or classroom.
HISTORY OF MAKING-HTTP://WWW.AMERICANLIBRARIESMAGAZINE.ORG/ARTICLE/MANUFACTURING-MAKERSPACES
• 1873- Gowanda, NY The Gowanda Ladies Social Society formed to quilt, knit, sew, socialist, and talk about books. In 1877, it
became the Ladies Library Association, receiving state library charter in 1900 as the Gowanda Free Library.
• 1905 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Frances Jenkind Olcott children’s department head, helped establish home libraries in
working class houses, where she organized crafts such as sewing or basketry for local kids.
• 1933 Manitoba (Canada) Crafts Museum and Library Created as a meeting place and resource connecting people to crafts,
he Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library in Winnipeg is dedicated to preserving the province’s cultural heritage and teaching
students how to craft.
• 1960 Nebraska Library Commission Funded for FY1960 by the Library Services Act of 1956, the Nebraska Library
Commission (then known as the Nebraska Public Library Commission) in Lincoln hosted a variety of special activities, including
creative arts, that were organized by area groups.
• 1976 The tool library The Rebuilding together Central Ohio Tool Library was created by Columbus as the tool-lending library
with a federal community development block grant. In March 2009, Rebuilding together central ohio took over operation of the
library.
• 1979 Merrimack (N.H.) Public Library the newly renovated and expanded Merrimack Public Library opened with a children’s
craft room,
• 2011 Fayetteville (N>Y>) Free Library Makerspace the first 21st century makerspace opened in the Fayevetteville Free
Library. It was the first of its kind in a public library and includes a 3D printer that works in a mobile capacity.
MAKERSPACES-
Editorial Board Thoughts: Libraries as Makerspaces? By Tod Coegrove (U of Nevada)
ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital/article/.../3793/pdf
• “We see making as a gateway to deepen engagement in science and engineering but also art and design.
Makerspaces share some aspects of the shop class, home economics class, the art of studio and science lab. In
effect, a makerspace is a physical mashup of these different places that allows projects to integrate these
different kinds of skills.”
• “today’s libraries are incubators, collaborators, the modern equivalent of the seventeenth century
coffeehouse: part information maker, park knowledge warehouse, with some workshop thrown in for good
measure”
Do Makerspaces Add Value to Libraries? By Janet L. Balas
http://teamhughmanatee.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/do-makerspaces-add-value-to-libraries.pdf
• “Libraries are not just places for quiet study of scholarly materials but they can also be places where the
creation of audio or video presentations can take place. In the case of some extremely innovative libraries,
they can also be places for making actual physical objects.”
MAKERSPACES- JOHN BURKEBOOK FORTHCOMING MAKERSPACES: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR LIBRARIANS
On December 16th, 2013 John J Burke, Director of Gardner-Harvey Library at Miami
University Middletown circulated a report on “Makerspaces and the Participatory
Library”
143 librarian respondents- 51% in public libraries, 36% in academic libraries, 9% in
school libraries, 4% chose other, and 0% selected special libraries
Makerspaces relatively new- 46% spaces developed in last year (2013)
Top items found in makerspaces- Computer workstations (67%), 3D printing (46%),
Photo editing (46%), Video editing (43%), Computer Program software (39%), Arts &
crafts (37%), scanning photos (36%), creating website (34%)
MAKERSPACES-IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
Making Things in Academic Library by Maura Smale- Oct 16th, 2012
http://acrlog.org/2012/10/16/making-things-in-academic-libraries/
• “essentially it’s a place for folks to make things, perhaps writing and illustrating a zine, using the open source
Arduino computing platform to program a robot, screen-printing, or creating model houses with a 3D printer.
Makerspaces often include tools and equipment that are to expensive or specialized for most people to have
in their homes, as well as provide a gathering place for like-minded hobbyists to create and collaborate.”
Makerspaces Move into Academic Libraries by Erin Fisher- Nov. 28th, 2012
http://acrl.ala.org/techconnect/?p=2340
• “Makerspaces emerged around 2005 as an offshoot of the Di-it-Yourself (DIY) movement. A makerspace
often includes a 2-D printer, digital media and fabrication software, tools for welding, woodworking, and
soldering, traditional arts and craft supplies and other electronics”.
• “they provide opportunities for people to learn with their hands”
• “The academic landscape is shifting from a traditional teaching culture to a learning culture. A teaching
culture consists of an expert transferring knowledge to student, whereas a learning culture utilizes active
learning techniques”
MAKERSPACES-WHERE ARE MAKERSPACES N ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
• University of Michigan 3D lab- http://um3d.dc.umich.edu/
• Columbia University Output shop- http://www.arch.columbia.edu/resources/gsapp-resources/output-shop
• University of Nevada-Reno http://www.delamare.unr.edu/
• North Carolina State University (NCSU) http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/spaces/makerspace
• University of Maryland http://lib.guides.umd.edu/tlcmake
• Rutgers- Fordham Commons http://libguides.rutgers.edu/FabLab
INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING & HAPPENINGSACADEMIC LIBRARIES IN THE US
UCSD Claremont College NCSU Claremont College
http://www.slideshare.net/charbooth/love-your-library-building-goodwill-from-the-inside-out-and-the-outside-in
Jigsaw puzzle - Large craft paper taped to wall w/markers - Games- Legos
Snowflake making - Wii - Yoga/stress reduction workshops - Food - Therapy dogs
Basket of yarn & knitting needles - Displays of children's books - Booktruck with
travel snacks - coloring - mini-golf with discarded books - jump ropes - hula hoops
graffiti walls - knitting station where students could sit and knit blankets for
animals in shelters - origami - GIANT Jenga - GIANT Bananagrams - GIANT spoons
GIANT playing cards - GIANT checkers - GIANT Yahtzee
On Tuesday Nov. 19th, 2013 Theresa R McDevitt posed a question to ARLIS/NA list-
serv, looking for ways to help students using the library distress at finals. Ideally
cheap, easy, and non-messy.
MAKING EVENTS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
Pumpkin Decorating- Rutgers
Make your own bookmark- Carl Sandburg College
Confess your Stress- selfies as therapy Photo Booth- Virginia Tech
DIY Photo Booth w/props - UCSD
My Hunt Library- NCSU
Food Exploration- Mt Holyoke
Re Book- Claremont College
Making buttons- Claremont College
Snowflake making- Rutgers
Box making- Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale
Caricature portrait artist- Rutgers
Edible Books Festivals- many libraries
Art Library Lego Playing Station- Rutgers
CHECK OUT THESE WEBSITES
Programming Librarian-(ALA) - http://www.programminglibrarian.org/home.html
Make it at your Library - http://makeitatyourlibrary.org/
Makeshift Society- San Francisco & Brooklyn-http://makeshiftsociety.com/
A LITA guide to makerspaces - http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2014/02/lita-guide-makerspaces
Makerspaces is it Right for Your Library? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pACCt-K-67I&noredirect=1
Make - http://makezine.com/
MAKE: A Literary Magazine - http://makemag.com/about/
Outside the Lines- http://getoutsidethelines.org/
COORDINATING MAKING EVENTS
WoodBlock Woodstock
Holiday card making space
Edible books
Polynomiography
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
Woodblock Woodstock is a celebration
of wood block printing, Morris
Library Special Collections, and the
SIUC Printmaking program. Throughout
the month of April Morris Library will
host a series of events sponsored by:
The Friends of Morris Library and SIUC’s
School of Art & Design (SOAD).
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
• Bringing Light Out of Darkness: A History of Woodblock Printing
• Backward Thinking: Reflections on Printmaking a talk by Travis
Janssen, Sang Eun Lee, & Erich Neitzke
• Backhanded Compliments- Works by SIUC Printmaking Students
• Drive By Press
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
Bringing Light Out of Darkness: A History of Woodblock Printing
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
Backhanded Compliments- Works by SIUC Printmaking Students
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
Jason Wonnell - The Outer Plains of Discordia Sang Eun - Lee Self Portrait
Backhanded Compliments- Works by SIUC Printmaking Students
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
Drive By Press
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
Drive By Press
WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCKSOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY (SIUC)
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
• Fiscal sponsors- Friends of Morris Library, SOAD, & Morris Library
•Outreach & Marketing- free publicity via campus media and
sponsors
•Got the studio artists into the Library
• Engaged the Artist community and ALL of the SIUC community
HOLIDAY CARD MAKER SPACEALEXANDER LIBRARY- RUTGERS
HOLIDAY CARD MAKER SPACEKILMER LIBRARY- RUTGERS
HOLIDAY CARD MAKER SPACEKILMER & ALEXANDER LIBRARY- RUTGERS
• All material to make was donated by RUL faculty & staff
• AUL of reference & instruction donated stamps & cookies
• RUL Administrative staff made coffee with in house supplies
• RUL volunteers made cards and engaged with participants
EDIBLE BOOKSSIUC & RUTGERS
EDIBLE BOOKSSIUC & RUTGERS
• Founded in 1999 by Beatrice Coron & Judith Hoffberg
• Categories: Puniest, Most Edible, Least Edible, Public Choice, Best
Book Structure, & Best in Show
•Guest Judges & Cross Disciplinary Collaboration
• Sponsors & Prizes
• Cookies and coffee for everyone
EDIBLE BOOKSSIUC & RUTGERS
EDIBLE BOOKSSIUC & RUTGERS
EDIBLE BOOKSSIUC & RUTGERS
POLYNOMIOGRAPHYART LIBRARY- RUTGERS
POLYNOMIOGRAPHYLIBRARY OF SCIENCE & MEDICINE (LSM)- RUTGERS
POLYNOMIOGRAPHYART LIBRARY & LIBRARY OF SCIENCE AND MEDICINE- RUTGERS
• Cross-Disciplinary collaboration w/ Bahman Kalantari
• Used RUL laptops & computers
• Software created by Bahman Kalatari
• Student Volunteers (RUL & Dept of Computer Science)
• Engaged individuals of all ages (engaged over 450 patrons)
• No fiscal cost
• Art Library Intern curated an exhibit titled Natural Beauty: Art in
Math and Science with a case featuring Kalantari
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN…WHY IS OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT, & CREATIVITY
IMPORTANT
•We are more likely to learn or come back when we are having FUN!
• Creativity, making, & engagement helps build critical thinking skills.
• Creativity, making, and engagement creates community.
•Making with others can be inspiring.
• All people have a voice & want to be heard.
• There’s a lots of ways to make or create scholarship.
• Creativity can be a positive state of mind.
ASSESSMENT
• Documentation- Analyze the image
• Surveys- looking at the language
• How many people are joining the FB page
• Head counts
• How many new friends/followers
• How many reference questions
HOW CAN YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN..
• You don’t need a lot of money to create making projects.
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration is good.
•Marketing & Outreach.
• You can’t do it alone.
• Incentives can help.
THANKS & GOT QUESTIONS?
Contact me:
Megan Lotts, MFA, M.L.I.S
Art Librarian
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
(848)932-7189
www.meganlotts.com