Webinar: Makerspace @Carnegie Public Library, Pittsburgh

Carnegie Public Library in Pittsburgh received a Digital Learning Initiative grant which caused usage to soar, but when they learned about YouMedia in Chicago they were inspired to do more. They interviewed recent library school graduates and asked for proposals. The proposal they chose was digital storytelling. Teens used Tumblr, Youtube and photos to tell stories about their neighborhoods. They then received an IMLS grant and are currently entirely grant-fun
ded. The launch party was at local Google office, which generated publicity and got people excited.

Tips for creating a Makerspace:

• Don't let the intimidation factor keep you from doing things -- Youmedia approach is scalable. Stealing ideas is OK, but adapt them to your community.
• Justify work with research, especially when seeking funds. Studies show correlation with teens having an adult mentor who is not a parent and their success in adult life.  
• Ask teens what they want.
• Programs don’t have to be expensive -- get free ideas from the Instructables website
• Staffing needs to be included in a proposal.
• Need to consider location of lab--can residents get there without a car? Is there enough space?
• Partnerships help sustainability, but there are good and bad partners. Discuss any payment issues early on. Mentors with digital media experience are needed.

Carnegie Public Library has four makerspaces in four branches. Each space has the same tech: two iMacs, two Macbook Airs, iPads, a drawing table, a controller, tripods, iPad cases that attach to tripods (for stop motion animation), Arduinos, and Adobe Creative Suite software. They searched digital learning blogs and asked their Teen Advisory Council to recommend equipment. Staff took classes in Arduinos and soldering at Hack Pittsburgh.


Tips for doing teen programs:

• Having equipment out is good -- gets kids curious.
• The more rules, the less accessible the space. (Here are their rules: http://www.clpgh.org/teens/events/programs/thelabs/#rules)
• A different subject each month works well.
• Use badges to make learning fun (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/badges-learnin).Teens get a badge if they attend all the programs in a month.
• Going out to schools works for outreach as well as a chance to test programs.
• Two people at every program is good to encourage shy teens and answer questions
• Don’t forget related displays of library material!

Carnegie Public Library’s next goal is to create programming “starter kits” that can be ordered and sent to any branch. They consider the labs a way to teach teens about professional opportunities in addition to being a place of creation.

Recommended software and web sites:

Appitic --recommended  iOS apps for learning: http://www.appitic.com/

Comic Life-- an app for creating comics with photos: http://www.comiclife.com/

Smoovie -an app for stop motion animation: http://www.openplanetsoftware.com/smoovie/

Skokie Public Library’s list of digital lab equipment and software:: http://www.skokielibrary.info/s_about/how/Tech_Resources/DML.asp

The Library as Incubator project :http://www.libraryasincubatorproject.org/

Oswego State University’s list of free apps for media creation: http://libraryguides.oswego.edu/toolbox

Popbooth-- create a photo booth with an iPad: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/popbooth-photo-booth/id432092216?mt=8



A recording of the webinar is available here.



--Andrea @Central

Webinar: Makerspace @Detroit Public Library

The HYPE Makerspace at Detroit Public Library is located in the main library in the teen center. It is for ages 13 to 18. The space is 4,000 square feet.

DPL had been doing crafting and making programs with Handmade Detroit, but didn’t know how to take it to the next level. Staff attended a Maker Fair in Detroit and were inspired. It was also a great way to discover community partnerships such as Mount Elliott Makerspace, Futuremakers, the University of Michigan Design department, and the Hub of Detroit bicycle shop and to benefit from their experience and recommendations. DPL also received a grant from the Making the Future initiative in New Jersey.


DPL decided to wait on expensive equipment such as 3-D printers or laser cutters and start small.

Some of their makerspace programs:

• Bicycle repair and maintenance
• Art projects such as stencils, wood block printing and silk screening
• Sewing --repairs and creating a fabulous outfit
• Soldering basics
• Building audio amplifiers
• Creating robots with Arduinos

Tips for makerspaces:

• Programs work best if everyone is in a circle
• Ventilation is important
• Turn off computers so teens don't get distracted
• If you get the leader of a teen peer group to come, the rest will follow
• Mentors who aren't teachers can inspire -- teachers who aren't experts can learn
• Don't define a makerspace with specific workshops or activities
• Give mentors power & ownership -- share budget
• Do process of choosing programs slowly -- "date" before you commit
• You don't need to do everything -- find areas of concentration based on community interest
• You don't need a ton of money
• Make barriers to entry as low as possible
• Having special events builds pride in patrons’ accomplishments and make more people want to get involved

DPL started with an 8-week summer camp. They held meetings with instructors & teen volunteers to discuss safety & loss of materials. At the end, they held meetings with instructors & asked teens to fill out evaluation forms at the end. Two of their teens were selected to attend the World Maker Fair in New York City, with all expenses paid. The teens learned new terms and software they didn't know about and were inspired to study for jobs they had never thought of before. For one project, they helped seniors digitize documents, recorded audio interviews, then made a movie using iMovie software.


Where to find mentors:

• Library staff
• Local businesses
• Schools
• Churches
• Local hackerspaces & hobby clubs
• Senior and retiree organizations
• Colleges and universities
• Host and publicize an event to attract mentors

DPL likes to think of a makerspace as a garden and makerspace leaders as gardeners. They try to be more of a “guide on the side than a sage on the stage”. Every maker/hacker they’ve contact so far has been enthusiastic about working with libraries. The most common complaint from patrons is that their should be more programs for adults and younger children.



A recording of the webinar is available here.




--Andrea @Central

Webinar: Makerspace at Cleveland Public Library

  

Rebecca and John sat in on a presentation about the "TechCentral" computer lab/makerspace/tech toy box at the Cleveland Public Library.

You can watch the whole thing here (it is about 45 minutes long): http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2012/11/archive-of-makerspaces-a-new-wave-of-library-services-cleveland-public-library.html

Here are the highlights:

Tech Central is really 2 spaces in the library: as you enter, you are greeted by a 70" display and the "tech toy box" -- a petting zoo of mobile devices that can also be checked out.

Turn to the left and you enter a flexible learning space, complete with laptop bar, group work tables, a smartboard, and projector (this is where they hold classes and events).

Turn to the right and you are in the computer area. All the public computers in the library have been brought into one space. They have 80 Windows computer, 5 Macs, and 5 Ubuntu (LINUX) computers. Applications installed include Office, Audacity (sound editing), GIMP (image creation), iLife (on the Macs: GarageBand, iMovie, etc.), and OpenShot (video editor). They also have power outlets galore for people who bring their own device.

Staff at TechCentral wear orange "lab coats" so they are easily identifiable. The staff are tech-savvy and also serve as instructors for classes and one-on-one help. (Customers can "check out" an assistant for an hour at a time.)

An intriguing service that TechCentral offers is "myCloud." With this service, customers can check out a laptop and save stuff to their own account on the library's servers. These are set up as virtual desktops, so customers get the full Windows computer experience (the ability to customize, save, and install software applications) without needing their own computer.  (It should be noted that this is the only service of TechCentral that requires customers to take an introductory class before they can use it.)

The makerspace aspect of TechCentral includes "maker kits" that can be checked out. These include products for building simple machines and circuits or music (Little Bits, K'NEX, Korg Monotrons and Snap Circuits).  Using myCloud, library staff and customers can install and use software to which they would not normally have access.

They market this space to 20-30 yr olds, and the 12 Tech Central staff also teach classes and bring mobile aspects of Tech Central (like the toy boxes) to the branches. Upcoming programming includes making your own holiday cookie cutters with the 3-d printer. 

Coming soon to Tech Central: dedicated music productions stations, computers for audio-visual and videogame creation, micro-bug building, and laser cutters.

TechCentral web page on the Cleveland Public Library website: http://www.cpl.org/TheLibrary/SubjectsCollections/TechCentral.aspx

- John L. and Rebecca R.

How to Host An Anime Club

Note: many of these tips are not just useful for anime and manga clubs, but for teen clubs in general.

On Thursday, November 8, Andrea H. and Peter B. attended an Anime Club Facilitator Training session at the Ridgedale Library, presented by the Anime and Manga Leadership Team at Hennepin County Library. The training covered a range of topics from how to start up an anime club and anime–related activities to working with teens on the autistic spectrum. HCL's Anime and Manga Leadership Team members are: Alicia A., Katherine D., Jan D., Joanna R. and Stephanie W.

Why should the library host teen anime clubs?

• It ties in with the anime, manga and related materials in our collection
• Anime culture is very enthusiastic--enthusiasm is the key to successful teen programming
• It’s a fun way for teens to learn about leadership
• Anime fandom is almost freakishly diverse--teens of different ages, ethnicities, class, genders, and abilities will hang out together

Hennepin County Public Library staff have found that word of mouth and personal invitations work best when starting a club. Flyers, websites, and contacting schools with anime clubs also work, but not as well.

They recommend starting with an interest meeting (don’t forget the free snacks), then building on that. It takes 6-12 months to get a club off the ground.

Hennepin County teen anime clubs are for grades 6-12. Since anime fans are getting older, they have recently started an adult anime club.

The anime club space should be flexible to work with a variety of activities. There should be tables for crafts and comfy chairs for DVD viewing. A screen or at least a clean white wall is a must, along with a DVD player or laptop and speakers.

Decorations make the space special. Teens can help hang wall scrolls, posters, string lights and paper lanterns.

A clock is necessary to keep everyone on track. Have a code of conduct & hang it on the wall. Let the teens collaborate on rules, and they will be more likely follow them and even self-regulate. Don’t forget emergency supplies like tissues, a first-aid kit, and a fire extinguisher just in case.

If you put out some white kraft paper and crayons/pens/markers, teens will start drawing. The resulting artwork can double as decoration. Whiteboards and dry erase makers are handy for games.

Snacks are very important. Hennepin staff usually serve a combination of healthy options and Japanese treats, which can be purchased at United Noodles or Cost Plus World Market for a reasonable price.

Other things that cost money:

• Games and craft supplies
• Prizes
• Staff time
• Bowls, dishes, etc. for snacks
• Licenses to show anime

Libraries have to pay for public performance rights to show videos to a group. Hennepin County, like St. Paul, purchases rights to multiple titles through Movie Licensing USA. However, they find their selection of anime lacking and sometimes contact the license holders directly. Fees are usually about $75-100.

A physical DVD is not necessary for public performance rights. The following sites have streaming anime:

• Crunchyroll
• Funimation
• Hulu
• Viz
• Netflix

If an anime is rated TV -PG or TV-14, they are usually OK for 12-18 year olds. Anime News Network is a good site for reviews. Once you get to know the older teens, you can ask them for recommendations. They can be quite protective of the younger members.


Possible anime club activities:

• Anime live chess
• Name that anime soundtrack tune
• Karaoke
• Board games-Clue, Chutes and Ladders, etc. altered to fit anime themes
• Create your own bento boxes
• Make your own cat ears
• Chopstick pickup relay race
• Anime jeopardy
• Iron Cosplay -- whoever makes the best costume from a selection of random stuff wins a prize
• Anime Prom
• A party to celebrate the Japanese lantern festival or O-Bon (sometimes called “Japanese Halloween”)
• DVD summit-- teens help pick DVDs for library
• Discussion of different genres of manga

Finally, give yourself time to reflect  and decide what worked and what didn’t. Staff have to be flexible and give teens input in the club’s direction. At the end of the year, put up some kraft paper and have teens write what they thought was the best part of the anime club.


*****************************************

Christopher Kokal and Carrie Swyter from the Minnesota Autism Center gave a short but informative talk on working with teens on the autism spectrum.  I would recommend these speakers for a Customer Service Improvement Day presentation.

Anime clubs are a good way for autistic teens to learn socialization skills. Structure, visual cues (clocks, printed agendas), warning times for completion of tasks, and tandem games can keep them on task and working well with neurotypical teens.



Supplementary Materials:

Anime Club Presentation

How to Request Screening Permissions for Anime

List of Popular Anime



If you are interested in being part of an anime club team at our library, please contact andrea.herman [at] ci.spaul.mn.us


--Andrea H.@Central & Peter B. @Dayton’s Bluff