Maker literacies for academic libraries

CHICAGO — Melding universities’ strategic goals with libraries’ teaching and learning mission, the academic library makerspace can be a powerful catalyst for information literacy, offering faculty partners a place for interdisciplinary, experiential learning. If you’re pondering what it takes to get your makerspace into the curriculum, “Maker Literacies for Academic Libraries: Integration into Curriculum,” published by ALA Editions, is the tool you need. Edited by Katie Musick Peery, this volume’s relatable, first-hand accounts from librarians, makerspace staff, and faculty partners will give you the confidence to make the leap. Contributors, drawn from the IMLS-funded Maker Literacies project, describe pilots and assessment for a variety of demographics, course subjects, and makerspace equipment. Guided by their experiences, you’ll be ready to fully partner with faculty through the course integration and assessment process. Inside, you’ll learn:

• why academic librarians are uniquely situated to be leaders in the realm of makerspaces and makerspace literacy;
• how the ACRL Framework informs maker competencies;
• methods for using competencies and assessment in designing course assignments;
• 5 steps for guiding faculty in creating assignments for makerspaces;
• advice on developing a new staffing and service model to handle course-wide use of the makerspace;
• steps for taking students through concept, design, prototype, and final product in a project management course;
• how an ethical perspective engaged a women’s history course toward the “In Her Shoes” project;
• pedagogical strategies for integrating the makerspace into fine arts classes; and
• ways to showcase makerspace outputs to generate excitement around campus.

Musick Peery is the director of the UTA FabLab at the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. She provides leadership related to the development, management, and continuous improvement of the lab. She has published on diversifying makerspace student hiring and best practices for makerspace training to increase the inclusivity, impact, and efficacy of makerspaces on a college campus. Her grant work and research are primarily focused on integrating maker literacies into higher education curricula.

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Related Links

"Maker Literacies for Academic Libraries: Integration into Curriculum"

"Makerspaces in Practice: Successful Models for Implementation"

"Modular Online Learning Design: A Flexible Approach for Diverse Learning Needs"