SPEC Kit 348: Rapid Fabrication/Makerspace Services · 71
Please note that this survey combines responses from librarians who are engaged with both 1) a small-scale makerspace
service in a branch library and 2) a planned, larger-scale makerspace service within the Digital Scholarship Center (to be
opened this summer).
So far we have not been convinced that the cost of ownership of this technology is within our means to support.
Such services require a strong understanding of your environment and potential user base since the technology, training,
and support requirements can vary greatly depending on those factors. Due to our service exceeding 10 years in age,
we had the privilege of growing with interest on campus, This allowed us to pivot and adjust relatively quickly due to the
deep expertise in-house.
The library is seriously considering 3-D printing as a service. This is not high-priority because 3-D printers and other
fabrication labs are already available on campus.
The NCSU Libraries is the primary academic library participating in an IMLS National Leadership Grant on Makerspaces
lead by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh as a collaborative campaign to promote the establishment of makerspaces
throughout US libraries and museums.
The UT Foundry (aka Creativity Commons). The University of Texas Libraries in collaboration with the College of Fine
Arts is developing the UT Foundry, a Creativity Commons that will be located at the Fine Arts Library (FAL). The UT
Creativity Commons will be a makerspace that will have a visual and performing arts focus while integrating engineering
and computer science elements, resulting in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)
teaching and learning center. The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United
States yet the campus community does not have open access to a makerspace. The UT Foundry project will fill this gap
and provide this much needed space and service. It will be open to all students, staff, and faculty at the University of
Texas at Austin. The intention is to support non-curricular and curricular projects simultaneously. For example, both the
layperson who walks in and wants to create a high-quality sound recording for a personal project and a professor who
is developing a classroom assignment around printing a 3-D object will have equal access to the staff expertise and
technology. The “creative class” is thriving in Austin, Texas from maker meet ups to the gaming and app development
private sector to a community of non-professional musicians and more. Learning happens outside the classroom as well
as inside‐and teaching is being done by librarians, IT specialists, and fellow students, as well as faculty. The UT Foundry
will be a center for arts learning, facilitating exploration. For example, students have interests that they want to develop,
but they may not be studying the subject in the classroom. Faculty may be moving into new areas of teaching but need
access to tools and expertise to develop an idea. An individual may have set a personal goal and needs the tools to
accomplish it. The UT Foundry will play a role in these cited examples. The UT Foundry will include a Game Development
Studio, a Recording Studio, a Video Production Studio, a 3-D Print Workspace, a Maker Workshop and a Digital Media
Lab. Equipment and devices will be available to check out. Project activities will include training teaching and supporting
patrons on effectively using the technology, developing programming and organized activities based on stakeholders
input, and outreach. The goal for the project is to have a robust facility and service that is fully utilized by the university
community. Desired outcomes for the user include acquisition of new skill sets or refining a fledgling skill, as well as
progress or completion of projects. Not only will this initiative develop space and services central to arts teaching and
learning, there are two other major outcomes: the development and diversification of information professionals, and
the building of community in the DIY and maker movements on the UT campus. The UT Foundry is designed to have
an impact on immediate learning, experience, and quality of life, as well as long-term transferrable skills and lifelong
learning. Compare the creative experience to a physical experience at the gym. The gym experience not only improves
long-term health, but immediate health as well. Similarly, the UT Foundry will have an immediate impact on a person’s
mind, encouraging creativity while a skill set will be acquired that can be used outside the space. The patron of the
UT Foundry will be able to learn new software, hardware, and technology to assist them in realizing their own project
goals. The University of Texas Libraries has put several pieces of this initiative in place during the 2014/2015 academic
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