SPEC Kit 348: Rapid Fabrication/Makerspace Services · 31
supervisor of our copy center to proceed with planning. In April 2014, we purchased a 3-D printer with library funds and
began experimenting with it. In October, we offered 3-D printing services to the university community. Business grew
steadily throughout the academic year, prompting us to buy two more 3-D printers.
We have the fabrication device to test, but do not as yet have a pilot program developed. Still in planning stages.
We sometimes do not pilot all items, we have the IT staff in the Libraries test and work with the patron to implement.
9. Once a decision was made to implement fabrication/makerspace services, how long did it take
your library to bring them online (excluding the pilot phase)? N=19
~6 months
10 months
2–4 months
6 months
Approximately 1 year
Approximately 6 months
Because there was a soft rollout, the service’s value was consistently evaluated and not fully committed to until a few
years in when we were looking at expanding our capacity and capabilities.
Either immediately (with our 3-D printing service) or within the first semester for most, while others are only mentioned
minimally on the website and left to be discovered in person while visiting the lab for another purpose.
I’m not sure when the idea was first proposed, but I was called on to write the proposal in May 2014, we got the
equipment in August, and the service was online in October 2014.
It took about 2 months to train, learn about the printer, and bring it online.
It usually takes about 2 weeks to implement a makerspace service.
No decision made yet.
No time at all.
Not yet in place.
Six-month investigation into location, models, and environmental concerns
Six months
The pilot phase was a year. During that time we worked out all the kinks. The decision to implement the service
on an ongoing basis changed nothing, so if the pilot phase is not considered in the timeline then it took 1 second
to implement.
Varies by service, but it was mostly connected to procurement for hardware, i.e., how long one must wait to get things.
For courses, it was a matter of developing content, which also varies by course.
While we were working with the students in the School of Business course, we developed policies and procedures
to open up the service more broadly. This included researching pricing models at other schools and how to accept
file submissions. Creating the form and payment procedures took about a month, but this period overlapped the
pilot phase.
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