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* I taught high school English for eight years and began my journey as an elementary school librarian last year. I also work part time shelving books in the children’s section of my public library. I will be graduating Spring 2023. If I’m not working in a library, you can find me tending to my zoo (cat, dog, hamster, bearded dragon, fish) while listening to audiobooks!

* If I could make anything, with the annual approach of ComicCon, I would make an authentic Lady Thor costume. I have never actually cosplayed, so I’d love to “do it right” and make my own costume. This would entail A LOT of skill building and specialized tools.

* A makerspace is not necessarily a physical space. It can be mobile! A makerspace includes the tools and environment that, as Hatch explains in The Maker Movement Manifesto, “bring[s] about a natural interest in learning” (Hatch, 20, 2014). In order to be an effective makerspace, the space must be designed in a way that promotes collaborative learning. Hatch expands on this idea by saying, “We are not islands. Though there is a time to work in solitude, to focus, to push oneself without distractions, there is also a time, and I daresay most of the time, where it would be better to be working together, or at least sharing a creative space. The warmth of another human in the room or workspace is preferable to working in solitude” (Hatch, 28, 2014). There is no set of tools that define a makerspace. Instead, the collaborators must determine which tools and supplies are needed. Additionally, a makerspace needs inspiration. In the end, a makerspace is any space intentionally designed for collaborators to achieve their common goal: to make!

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Hi everyone. My name is Emily. I am a library assistant in Passaic county, NJ. I am in charge of children and adult programming. In my free time I like to take walks, crochet/knit, and read of course. I would like to be either a youth services or school librarian.

If I could make anything I'd sew a dress. I'm not sure if that answer is too simple, but it is the truth! I am trying to do it right now, actually. I am just getting comfortable using a sewing machine--I figure if yarn doesn't scare me, fabric shouldn't either.

I think of makerspaces as a place where you are required to think with your hands, with the purpose being creative innovation. They seem to be the ultimate differentiation spaces in this regard--successful makerspaces incorporate lots of avenues for young learners/users to work through their ideas.

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Hi Everyone!
My name is Caitlin and I live in Neptune, NJ with my husband and cat, Gelato. This is my second summer semester in the MI School Librarianship program. I used to be a three grade teacher but lost my job due to budget cuts. However, my end goal is to work back in an elementary school but as the librarian! I have a bachelors degree from the University of Rhode Island in Liberal Arts and a Masters degree in teaching p-3 with a students with disabilities endorsement. As I work on this degree, I am working as a homeschool teacher and tutor at a local independent tutoring center.

Something that drove me to want to go down this path is that my family owned my hometown bookstore for 12 years. It was here that I started reading more often (in order to help give recommendations) and then started to fall in love with books. Some things I enjoy are reading, arts and crafts/DIY, watching movies/binge watching Netflix, traveling and going to the beach. I love all things Disney, starbucks coffee and making things with my Cricuit.

During COVID, I taught myself how to write calligraphy so if I could make anything it would be all sorts of products where I could use calligraphy and be creative. I know there are a ton of things on sites such as Esty, so one day, I hope I can get a side business going. I have a lot to learn with it but it has become something that I love.

To me, makerspace is defined as a safe space/area to be creative. Knowing that you are going to mess up and maybe have to do something a hundred times before you get it right but having the ability and tools to do that; to improve on a skill or task that drives you and that you are passionate about. It's also a place that welcomes everyone and everyone's ideas without judgement but with empowerment.

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Hi everyone! My name is Bitnari and I’m excited to see some familiar names/faces in this class. I’m looking forward to learning and sharing resources with you all. I currently live in Washington, on an idyllic island where I have the pleasure of being surrounded by some of the most beautiful parks I’ve ever seen.

Please excuse my terrible drawing, I'm truly embarassed by it! If I could make anything it would be a quilted jacket. I took a sewing class in high school and haven’t really sewn much besides masks since but, I have a hoard of fabrics that I have accumulated through the years. There is a pattern that a sewist made for a quilted jacket that would let me use up lots of different fabrics. I follow the hashtag for the pattern name and am always amazed at how beautiful the jackets are and how each person customizes the jacket to fit their style and taste. I am not talented enough to make this pattern and am out of the loop when it comes to reading patterns and special sewing techniques so it would be useful to have a space to play around on the machine and have some guidance from an expert so I can attempt this.

A makerspace is an interactive learning environment where people share in exploration and discovery to tinker, imagine, and create things.

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Hi Everyone! My name is Becca, and I live in Bristol, Rhode Island. I am currently the Assistant Children’s Librarian at a small library in North Attleboro, MA. I just started this job in March,and it has been a really awesome experience getting to transition from multiple part-time jobs to a full time job in a public library.  I am scheduled to graduate in the Fall of 2023, so I’ve just finished up my first year of the program, and am really excited to jump back into studies with this class for the summer!

Something really cool I’d love to make is a “playground” for adults-picture the coolest playground when you were a kid-swings, tunnels, awesome places to climb, bridges, that swirly version of a fireman’s pole you slide, down, etc- but designed with adult sized bodies in mind. An extra five feet off the ground, a little wider of tunnels, slightly more challenging obstacles. I imagine parts of it are made from wood (like some of the best playgrounds ever) and have towers and secret passageways, and I imagine others as the climbing ropes structures that a lot of modern playgrounds have. Extra long swings, different types of relaxing swings, monkey bars that are high enough off the ground that you don't have to bend your body in half to go across.

I know there are adventure parks where you can do obstacle courses in trees, but those a) require a harness and can be fairly intense/scary and b) cost money. I’ve worked in a few different schools and at a few different camps, and I never shy away from getting on the equipment with the kids for part of a game if we’re playing something. This oftentimes invites other staff members to also start climbing/participating on the equipment as well. It also has started plenty of conversations about the importance of play, and how freeing it feels to get to climb to the top of the tower or slide down the slide, and the feeling of just doing things because a) you can and b) because they are fun. It invites people to explore and imagine, and have fun, it’s freeing.

In one of my undergrad classes, one of our assignments was to go home and play for 30 minutes. For the most part, most of our class didn’t-myself included. I took a hobby of my own and said it was playing, and most of my classmates did the same. MY professor was able to tell that we hadn’t really embraced the assignment. The next day she brought in a box of her sons toys-cars, blocks, wind-up toys, dolls, all sorts of random things, and split us up into two groups and sent us out into the hall for thirty minutes to play. It was one of the weirdest, most interesting, and most memorable classroom experiences I’ve ever had. Everyone was really hesitant at first, awkwardly trying to figure out how to get comfortable playing with kids toys with other 20something year olds, but ten minutes in and it felt like indoor recess in the third grade.There was imaginative play, silly fights over certain cars, towns and cities being built, and jokes and laughter.The thirty minutes flew by so fast, and it was weird to go back to class. We had a different energy about us for the rest of the day though, more playful, more open to friendships, we were more understanding of each other. When I think about creating an adult sized playground- I imagine creating a space for an experience like that to happen. Hanging out with friends is one thing, but letting your guard down and just playing is something completely different.

I think that I would define a makerspace, as a community space dedicated to opening up opportunities for creativity, exploration, tinkering, and play, through a variety of materials. I think that community is vital to a makerspace. In Diana Redina’s article, many of the different makerspace definitions include the word “gather”, and I think that is one of the keys to separating a makerspace from just a personal workshop. The idea of coming together to create, or the shared experience of creating, and creating a community is at the root of a makerspace.

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Hello all, my name is Joanna Potts, I’m on the school library track and currently working with adult learners in a public library. My hobbies include cooking and baking which inspired my makerspace idea for this week! Lately I’ve been doing most of my reading for class but have been listening to audio books a lot so that I can “read” while driving or doing the dishes. I recently finished The Rose Code by Kate Quinn which I really enjoyed. I’m a bit of a sucker for a historical-fiction story with a female protagonist doing something that was unusual for women around that time, extra points if it’s a multi-timeline story (I feel like that seems so specific but there are a lot of books that meet that criteria surprisingly).

Back to makerspaces! I would define these as physical spaces for imagination. A location that offers the support and tools needed to bring ideas to life while also acting as a space to fail and grow from it. I’m a little hesitant to include “tools” here because there can be considerable disparities between makerspaces depending on budgets, but overall I think the most important aspect of a makerspace is to develop creative, problem solving focused thinking, and that can thrive anywhere.

As I mentioned, I like to bake, so when I was thinking about what I might make a container that holds dry ingredients and automatically fills measuring cups to the top with sifted ingredients came to mind. The side of the container would indicate how much is still left to avoid starting a recipe when you think you have enough sugar only to realize midway through mixing that you’re actually a little short. As I was drawing this out I realized there were more layers to how this should work than I originally thought, for example, I added a funnel to keep the ingredients from dumping out and overfilling. But then that means I need something to help move it along through the funnel, hence the mixing mechanism within the funnel. Actually trying to solve a problem creates the opportunity to think more deeply about it and understand there are multiple steps to be completed. With most things available to us immediately, being forced to slow down and think something through like this is also a great exercise in patience.

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Hi everyone! I recorded two videos but my computer will not cooperate and upload them or my photo, so I'll summarize what I said here!
My name is Summer Paris and I teach Social Studies to 8th graders in Arlington, VA, right outside of Washington, DC! I love to read and write, but I probably spend most of my time outside of work and class watching TV.
If I could create anything in the world, I would probably make a machine that could remove cat hair instantly. I have two cats who are very cuddly, which is excellent, but also means that I am constantly covered in cat hair. I'm also very forgetful, so I never remember that I need a lint brush until it's too late and I'm already at an event. My creation would be small enough to be stored in a pocket and would work instantly.
For makerspace definitions, I kept returning to Rendina's definition from our reading this week: A makerspace is a place where students can gather to create, invent, tinker, explore and discover using a variety of tools and materials. I love how all-encompassing and inclusive this definition is, thought I might add that a makerspace can also be a place for solo creation as well.
I can't wait to learn from all of you this semester!

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Hi! My name is Megan Luke. I am on the School Librarian track, slated to graduated Fall 2022. Happy to “see” several classmates from previous courses also in this one! I just left my job of 8 years as a Business Operations Manager for a charter school in Brooklyn so right now I’m enjoying a brief “sabbatical” while my husband and I are moving to the Albany, NY area. I’m hoping to find a job with the public library system as I won’t be certified to work at a school until the winter. For now, I am enjoying actually having free time and reading through my very large TBR pile. My new area has the CUTEST town library that was an old church and the county library branch nearest me is newly renovated so I’m excited to check out both of those spaces.

Being back in my hometown has made me very nostalgic. My grandma had these handmade ceramic Christmas trees that she made back in high school in a pottery class so I think I would like to make one of those. Mold the clay, fire it, paint it, install the little lights and electrical wiring to you can plug it it and light it up. It reminds me of Christmas as a child and knowing that it was handmade versus the commercial mass produced ones you can get.

I would define making as learning through exploration and choices. A makerspace should be a place where students are free to do whatever they want without the pressure of structured learning. It should be set up in a way that promotes individual and group exploration, creativity, and play and the librarian and teachers are there to help support the exploration but not fully structure it. People learn in different ways so as long as students get to the same end result, it shouldn’t matter if they learned from reading and memorization, videos, hands on experiences, or a combination.

I did not really know much about makerspaces prior to starting my program so I am really excited about this class and to learn more about them in both a school and public setting!

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Rachel Mulligan- Introduction for 596 Summer 2022

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Rachel Mulligan- Introduction for 596 Summer 2022

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Hi, everyone!  My name is Rachel Mulligan, and I live in Mount Holly, NJ.  This is my second summer semester in the MI School Librarianship program, with the goal to work as an Elementary or Middle school librarian someday.  I completed my undergraduate degree at The College of New Jersey, studying Early Childhood Education and Art.  Since then, I have worked as a substitute teacher, tutor, teacher’s assistant, and First grade teacher.  In December 2020, I graduated with a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Penn State’s online program.  I write reviews for School Library Journal—primarily about picture books and board books—in a freelance role I have enjoyed for over two years now.  As for hobbies, I love reading and creative writing, as well as drawing and painting (if I can find the time).

If I could make anything right now, I would try my hand at a stop-motion video short, inspired by how I have been watching a certain plum tree take its time blooming near my house all spring and summer; a stop-motion film, compiled from pictures taken with an iPhone or iPad, could capture its slow but beautiful growth as the past months went by.  I can imagine making a coiled wire structure and flexible mesh material to make a base form for the trunk and branches, while brown modeling clay can overlay the wire frame to allow for impressions of bark-like grooves and tree knots.  To create the slow-growing purple blossoms and leaves, I could cut and crazy-glue progressively larger and larger pieces of colorful cardstock paper to eventually cover the branches (Please see the attached sketch.) I could use the Stop Motion Studio app or just my iPhone to record my photo sequence.

To me, a makerspace means the intertwining of an engaged, creative mindset for expression and learning within the physical space of a safe, educational environment that empowers all learners to discover, build upon, and act on their innovative, inspired visions by providing collaborative connections, encouragement, and access to material means that support the ambition of their makings.  A makerspace does not impress its makers with expectations, rather individuals bring their own visions into the space and work to craft their ideas into a tangible reality.  I believe Diana Rendina (2015) boils down the key components of a makerspace by saying a makerspace can be defined by “[p]lace… people… make things”; I think the dimensionality of a makerspace, though, is established by how the keeper of a makerspace (the school librarian, from my perspective) accommodates this creative potential, as well as what the makers make of it (n.p.).  I look forward to learning more about how to establish such a welcoming, explorative makerspace during this class.

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Hi everyone!

Elizabeth here! I am a part-time School Librarianship student and full-time children’s librarian in Rye, NY. I just started my full-time position and am excited to learn from both my work experience and from all of you! I chose this course as my elective because I have not had many interactions with Makerspaces yet. To be honest, I am a bit intimidated by them.  I feel I’ve lost a lot of my own creativity in adulthood.  I’m ready to embrace my inner maker so I can better serve my community.

If I could make anything, I’d make custom costumes. I love to sew, but am completely self-taught and can only create when using a pattern. Being able to draft patterns would be the coolest skill in my mind. My sketch is of my dream Halloween costume. I’ve always wanted to be Sophie Hatter from Howl’s Moving Castle, but a dress pattern does not exist.....YET!

Makerspaces are judge-free zones. They are areas that provide the foundation for creation (materials, tools, etc.)  without expectations of a “right” or “wrong”. From the activity in The Kickstart Guide to Making Great Makerspaces, I recorded my least memorable learning experience as those with little wiggle room to insert creativity.  Makerspaces, as the video  These high-tech classes are the coolest thing happening in schools today, are “open-ended”. To me, they are an area to explore freely.

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Hey there~  My name is Jacquie Daddato, I live in Medford, NJ, and I am here at Rutgers trying to get my Masters in Information, with a concentration in school librarianship.  It is looking like I will be graduating this fall, 2022!!!!!  I started back in the spring of 2021.  I am a full time teacher, have been teaching in the same district for 21 years and this past fall of 2021 I became my district's full time K-8 media specialist.  For about 18 years I taught K-2 literature so this is not a far stretch for me. I also work part time at a public library in the youth services department.  When I am not working, I love to read and I love to go to NYC to see Broadway musicals.

To answer the question, what would I make, I need to do some explaining.  I am great with ideas, but not so much in the art of creation. I don’t sew, quilt, crochet, or knit.  That gene skipped a generation.  I am a great baker but not a good cook.  I need specific step by step directions.  In my last class I realized that I am much more of a curator than I am a creator.  That being said, IF I could create anything, I would want to create a sorting machine for books.  I watch those Lego sorters and think, wow, I wish there was something like that for books, that would sort them in their right categories to help with the shelving of books each week. (Fiction, Nonfiction, chapter books, board books, Leveled Readers ect.)

I would define a makerspace as a safe place for all people to be creative and to build.  In a makerspace, everyone is an engineer who needs to plan, design, create, and collaborate.  It looks different at any school or library.  You can not “put it in a box”, but you can create with a box!

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Hi, I'm Debbie.  I'm on the school-library track, and will (hopefully) graduate at the end of Fall '22.  This is my lone elective, and I chose it because I know very little about the makerspace movement, but recognize that it's becoming an important addition to library offerings.  I'm hoping to eventually work at the elementary or middle school level - although the youth department of a public library would be interesting, too.  I live in central NJ with my family (husband, 2 kids - age 20 and 18 - our dog, plus my BIL/SIL and their 5 cats, and also my FIL).

I love making things - I sew (including quilts), knit, bake, do (virtual) PaintNite, write some fanfiction and occasionally draw pencil portraits - but I don't consider myself a particularly creative person.  I'm great at following other people's plans/recipes/patterns etc and might have the means to make minor adaptations, but I'm not great at creating something out of whole cloth, so to speak.  I am already incredibly intimidated by the creative talent, knowledge and experiences of my fellow classmates here, and feeling very out of place.

If I could make anything....I'm changing my answer from previously, to something more concrete.  I wish I had more advanced skills (and time) in certain things, like ... knitting.  Like - I'd love to be able to correctly strand colorwork, or knit so my knits and purls looked truly even, without creating a subtle texture - so that I could do fancier cables, fancier colorwork on sweaters and socks.  I would love to do watercolor paintings like my dad, who was a very skilled amateur artist.  As the "Manifesto" said, so much of the joy of making comes in sharing and giving away what you create, to say, "I made that!" and create truly unique and memorable gifts for people, or to have more of my own creations to wear and show off.  So while I have given handcrafted gifts, there's a lot more I wish I could do that is currently beyond my ability to do WELL.  I also ADORED woodshop in middle school (courtesy also of my dad, who used to do simple projects on his own, and with my "help" when I was a kid), and would be super-excited to have access to a woodshop again. If I could make anything, I would have those abilities (or access), and could spend loads of time just *making*.

My definition of a makerspace: Any place dedicated to creation, with the space and tools/materials needed to create on hand, and (preferably) a person to help guide the process - but not required, depending on how high-tech the tools are.  (One of my frustrations about the Manifesto was, when the author listed suggested tools, they left out the basics: paper, markers/pens/pencils/paint.  That's making, too, and should always be provided.  At the very least it can be used to sketch out ideas that you execute with other tools.)

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Hi! I'm Jordan, I'm a UNC SILS student. I'm between my first and second year in the MSLS program and I'm interested in learning more about makerspaces in libraries and I hope to become an academic librarian. I enjoy reading scary stories and working on crafts. There are a lot of projects I'd like to make but one of them would be an outfit or set of accessories from a self-drafted sewing pattern. I'm just learning to sew and think I'd learn a lot from going through this process. I would define a makerspace as a space that supplies tools, materials, and environment for creative work. It is unstructured and may be used for many purposes like educational, artistic, or prototyping projects, and independent or collaborative work.

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Hi! My name is Jessica, and I am on the school library track. My background is in restoration ecology, and I am currently a Tinkergarten leader.  I love to be outdoors, hiking, gardening, and looking at plants. I am a long time knitter and a spinner of yarn (although dormant with both of these pursuits), I am learning to sew as well. I am a collector of recyclable materials, and have two kids ages 4 and 7, who like to create with them.

If I could make anything, I would like to make a robot that cleans up the house, which can sort out the toys and recyclables from the trash/dirt/dog hair. It would have multiple intake tubes, independently controlled, or could be used on manual mode if needed. There would be a screen with controls, may accept voice commands, and would play pleasant music for you to enjoy while it cleans up.

I think that makerspaces are places to grow a community of people who learn by doing: designing, evaluating, critiquing, and building again. They are places for creativity, challenges, problem solving, collaboration, and tinkering (including high and/or low tech tools and materials).

I look forward to learning with and from all of you!

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House cleaning robot with sorting function.

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Hello Everyone!

My name is Tack like a thumb Tack. This is my final course In TIM and Data analytic track for my masters and I am looking forward to what this class can bring.

I recently finally made it to the eye doctor and got my first pair of glasses. While this was a treat on its own, I felt that the glasses underperformed. Ignoring the fact that I could just be having the wrong prescription, I was fully ready to have superman vision. To see miles into the distance. And that got me thinking. These glasses are already a very cool and ingenuitive piece of technology. But I think we can do better. I would like to see glasses that can “zoom” in miles away. Glasses with built in augmented reality displaying useful data in front of us. While we have seen some early developments into this technology with google glasses or Microsoft hololenses we can do better.

To me a makers-space is the sandbox for creativity. It’s a space that inventors, engineers and curious minds can come to get inspired to or create whatever it is they dream. After the year we all just went though, I think spaces like these are ever so important. We need to create spaces where young individuals, curious minds can congregate and share ideas.

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Here's my intro on Voice Thread!

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Hi everyone! I made my intro in VoiceThread and have linked it here! Thank you Brigitte for your comment!

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Hi everybody!
I'm super excited about this class! I currently work in the Maker Space at the Wyckoff Public Library as the Maker Mentor, and I'm so excited to learn new ways to develop my work there! I also work as the assistant children's librarian in Leonia. This is my third semester at Rutgers.

I define Maker Spaces as open community workshops where visitors can explore, design, and develop creative solutions to problems. I started working at my Maker Space before I had ever had much experience in one as a learner, and since I started there 2 years ago, I've learned that adaptability is probably the most vital skill I could have. So, with that in mind, I'm sure that my definition of what a Maker Space is will grow and change over the course of this class!

My undergraduate degree is in art education. I primarily focused on assemblage at the time, but now I do a lot of sewing and blacksmithing, and I'm also trying to learn to draw in my spare time! I also like playing video games and Dungeons and Dragons.

I have a very, very long list of projects I want to get started, but last night I watched this YouTube video, so I was inspired to sketch out a leather pauldron. I really like making costumes (even if I don't have anywhere to wear them), and this idea's been at the back of my head for a while. Maybe now that I've sketched it out, I'll actually get around to making one!

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Hey howdy hey! I sort of back-doored into VoiceThread, so here's my introductory ramble.
I don't know if I really explained it coherently, but inclusivity is the thing that I really want to focus on; giving people of all ages access to tools to express themselves, either through the art side of STEAM or the more technological/
mathematical sides. I get into the biggest barrier I encountered when I ran a makerspace a couple of years ago, so I'm going to apologise for the length of the ramble and leave it here.
Looking forward to working with you all!

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Hi! I am Rachel Patton. I am a teacher librarian at an independent elementary school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is my final semester at Rutgers. I am on the school librarian track.

I struggled with the question about what I would make. I found myself nodding and heartily agreeing with all of the reading this week--I absolutely love the maker mindset and the emphasis on tinkering and inventing. I feel strongly that every learner should have access to a space of infinite possibilities, a makerspace. Yet, I had an incredibly difficult time allowing myself the same space to imagine. I think I might have been experiencing some overwhelm at the open endedness of the question. I decided to connect more with what I know. I am an extremely amateur knitter. I would like to make a sweater. I would like to create my own pattern, dye my own wool (did you know that cochineal beetles make an amazing dye?), and knit a proper cardigan. I like the idea of learning many different things by making one product.

I mentioned that I thought a makerspace is a space of infinite possibility. I think that this applies to the learning opportunities inherent in a place where learners are allowed time and space to imagine, create, and invent. I love Dale Dougherty’s TED talk because he calls all of us makers. I also appreciated the term “put togetherers”. I define a makerspace as a space where everyone belongs, everyone enjoys ownership, and everyone helps. I would also like to emphasize the spirit of play, creativity, and exploration are included in my definition of a makerspace.

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Hi everyone, my name is Julie. I work currently as a Library Associate in the programming department at the Woodbridge Public Library in Woodbridge New Jersey. I work primarily with adults, and so I like to try to think about designing and implementing services that can benefit both teens and adults, especially older adults.

I would define a Makerspace as a place that offers access to resources that facilitate creativity. I also would consider space to be a resource. A lot of people may not have access to technological equipment like 3D printers or other tools, but I think a lot of people also do not have access to space where they are able to be creative. Even if you only have legos and cardboard, like Diana Rendina (2015) mentions in her article, you are still providing that physical location.

Something I am also interested in is using makerspaces to help older adults. Many seniors didn’t grow up with certain technologies, and I think that providing an environment for them to feel comfortable exploring and learning about technology is just as important as it is for children or teens. I also think that kind of reflects the type of environment that is discussed in the first video in this week’s module. Nathan Holbert describes makerspaces as places where people can “construct knowledge”, and he cautions against the idea of turning them into more rigid classroom learning spaces, basically, with tests and homework. The freedom of being able to learn at your own pace and to explore different technologies as much or as little as you want, and to have that sandbox kind of environment, is what I really love about the concept of makerspaces, and I think for both children and older adults, that kind of flexibility can inspire confidence more than any kind of class would.

So to answer the question, if I could make anything, what would I make? I would love to make a speech-to-text story maker for seniors that can create short books from their personal stories. It would be designed for older adults, so maybe with soundproof headphones and a mic and with a large screen for easier visibility. I would add a very basic scanner if they wanted to include their own photos, as well. The idea is for them to dictate a personal story and have it printed up as a booklet. It would be great if it could access some kind of database of local historic photos so they could include how the neighborhood looked at the time, if they lived locally. I can’t draw at all and ended up just “sketching” something vaguely computer shaped. I originally envisioned it as kind of a booth, since it should probably be made of soundproof material as they would be talking out loud. It would need a large monitor with an attached printer and scanner—the software would be the most important thing. I have no idea how to design that part of it, though, so this is just me dreaming.

Anyway, that is my probably overly long introduction. It’s nice to meet you all!

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Hi, my name is Evie. I am finishing my degree this summer on the TIM track. I know little to nothing about the LIS track but was interested in this class, hopefully I can keep up. I think of a makerspace as any space that allows for free-flowing thought and creativity to take over instead of a rigid learning model. Having several friends who are teachers have kind of informed my opinion on makerspace and the importance of allowing space for more development in other areas.

In terms of what I would make, I honestly have no clue. The few things I have thought of already exist, so trying to come up with something new is kind of hard.

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Hi everyone! Here is my into video. I wanted to try using iMovie but even the smallest quality is too big for Padlet. Here's a link to it on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/GAfpp9wmXO0

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Attached is the link to my VoiceThread.  Sage, thank you for your comment!

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Hi, I’m Molly Reinero.  In March, I joined the youth services department at the Lawrence Branch of the Mercer County Library System, and I’m loving it so far!  In my free time, I enjoy fiber arts, singing, biking, hiking, reading, cooking, gardening, and spending time with my family.   I live in Pennington, NJ with my husband Andrés, our 3-year-old daughter Elena, and our goldendoodle Apollo.

I’ve always loved engaging in creative work and fostering creativity in others, so I’m extremely excited for this course. While I definitely salivated over the list of what a well-equipped makerspace needs in “The Maker Movement Manifesto,” I agree with Diana Rendina’s broad definition of makerspaces as places “where students can gather to create, invent, tinker, explore and discover using a variety of tools and materials,”  whether that means a cart of simple craft supplies or a fab lab full of high-tech equipment.  As a public librarian and community volunteer, I’m also interested in flexible makerspaces that can be used with multi-generational groups in a variety of contexts outside of the school setting.  I’m especially interested in makerspaces promoting repair, creative reuse, and creative placemaking.  While my library doesn’t have space for a permanent makerspace, my supervisor is open to the possibility of a makercart, so I’m looking forward to developing a proposal for that in this class.

If I could truly make anything, it would be "The Big Dig: Pennington Edition."  The original Big Dig was “the largest, most challenging highway project in the history of the United States” (https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-big-dig-project-background).  Boston replaced a deteriorating major highway that cut through the center of the city with an underground highway topped by a series of beautiful parks.  The project took far longer and was much more costly than was originally anticipated, but it improved quality of life in the city immeasurably.  Here in the much smaller town of Pennington, NJ, our downtown area and parks are cut off from schools and the library by Rt-31, a busy, smelly thoroughfare with constant truck traffic.  If I could make anything, I would bury this stretch of 31 and the street-level parking lots alongside it, and design a pedestrian plaza to go on top.  This would include a green affordable housing complex;  a playground with a splash pad; a facility for bike commuters including showers and secure bike parking (like this); an amphitheater; a senior center; a community garden; a solar shade pavilion (like this); and open space for public events, performances, and recreation.  I'm attaching my sketch below.

I’m so excited to learn and create with all of you this summer!