SPEC Kit 348: Rapid Fabrication/Makerspace Services · 65
Defining the library’s role in design learning and digital scholarship. Providing adequate and useful support for digital
scholarship. Getting the buy-in of teaching departments and faculty.
Equipment breaks down frequently. Users have too high of expectations of what 3-D printing can actually do. Requires
a lot of training and upkeep.
Equipment doesn’t always work as expected. Users need to learn what things the space/tools can and cannot do.
Keeping up with the most current technology.
Fit a new service into an already tightly allocated budget. Developing staff skills and partnership needed to make
it succeed.
Funding. Staffing. Time for outreach.
Funding (start up). Expertise for staffing. Maintenance.
Getting buy-in from faculty and students without a dedicated assignment requiring 3-D printing or other making.
Double scheduling prints that take longer than estimated. Providing a sustainable service that also allows staff to
maintain a reasonable workload.
I would love it if we could have people use the 3-D printer set-it-and-forget-it style. Because our service isn’t really
supervised, the users have to stay in the MADlab while their job is printing. This is extremely time consuming. I wish our
printers could print faster... Handling the certification lists and reservations takes a considerable amount of time spent
filing and sending confirmation emails. Would be nice to automate more of this process.
Keeping equipment updated. Promoting use. Determining printing policies.
Lack of staff time. Hardware malfunctions. Lack of funds to buy newer hardware models.
Limited funding. Ensuring needed expertise. Service sustainability.
Limited resources. Not widespread in use. Barrier of entry due to specialized skills needed.
Machine reliability. Tracking use in an open environment. Managing user expectations.
Maintaining currency/relevance as technology evolves. Determining scope of services, where the line is between library
and departmental/specialized services.
Maintaining equipment to keep it operational. High cost of some machines and materials. Can be difficult to retrofit a
traditional library space into a space supporting fabrication.
Maintaining hardware. Time commitment. Staffing.
Managing student expectations about what we can offer. Software licensing and installation. Campus culture of fear
around new technologies and their safety.
Managing the services without dedicated staffing. Maintenance of equipment. Keeping on top of latest
tech developments.
Money (for staff and supplies). Clarity of mission /justifying services as part of library services.
Providing adequate support.
Several aspects of the services have a steep learning curve. Labour-intensive: need to be onsite to work with users.
Experience some dismissiveness of the services, e.g., “gimmick” or “fad”.
Staffing. Space.
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