Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Are Maker Spaces the Future of Public Libraries?

Posted by Soulskill on from the yes-please dept.

misterbarnacles writes "Shareable has an interview with librarian Lauren Britton Smedley from the Fayetteville Free Library, which is adding a Fab Lab to its community offerings. She said, 'I think that libraries are really centers for knowledge exchange, and a Fab Lab fits perfectly into something like that. This idea that libraries are a place where the books live, and you go to find a book, and that’s all it is, I think is really starting to shift. Libraries are a place for social transformation. They’re a place that you can go to get computer access, or access to technology that you can’t get anywhere else, and access to people. ... At the Fab Lab, the impetus behind the whole thing was to create a center for knowledge exchange where we’re not just offering Intro to Word or Intro to Excel — that we can offer Intro to Computer Programming, or Digital Fabrication — these skills that are really important in the STEM fields, and we can push that information out for free. And how do we do that? By getting people in the community who know that stuff to come in and share what they know.'"

17 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Until the Lawyers Show Up by trout007 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe you need to read some books. It is then not than. Get a clue.

    --
    I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
  2. Money by masternerdguy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Not with the budget cuts.

    --
    To offset political mods, replace Flamebait with Insightful.
  3. Libraries at their core.... by ducomputergeek · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Libraries at their core are places where knowledge and learning could be shared. Why does that have to be limited to distribution via dead trees? I for one think this is a brilliant idea.

    --
    "The problem with socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money" - Thatcher.
    1. Re:Libraries at their core.... by uniquename72 · · Score: 5, Informative

      This idea that libraries are a place where the books live, and you go to find a book, and that’s all it is, I think is really starting to shift.

      "Starting" to shift? Libraries haven't been about books in at least 10 years (since I became a librarian). In fact, the "it's not about books" thing was a long-tired cliche even then.

    2. Re:Libraries at their core.... by camperdave · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I'll say it's not about the books. My local library has 54 SF books, and not an Asimov, Heinlein, Clarke, or Bova in the bunch.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    3. Re:Libraries at their core.... by vlm · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "Starting" to shift? Libraries haven't been about books in at least 10 years (since I became a librarian). In fact, the "it's not about books" thing was a long-tired cliche even then.

      I think its a physical remodel thing, it takes awhile to remodel, so that what they wanna do reflects the building layout. The recently completed remodel of our local public library just dropped below 50% of floor space devoted to books. When I was a kid it was between 50 and 75 percent. About 10% kids play and meeting and reading area next to the childrens library desk (beanbags, etc), also a separate glass walled "teen area" with teen books and scheduled book readings and book discussion groups. Study areas have imploded down to less than 10%, too many homeless were living in the study desks, I donno where they go now. Computers and computer area has exploded to at least 10%, must be two dozen virus, worm, and keylogger-laden windows PCs there slowly chugging away, I wouldn't touch those machines with a ten foot pole, or at least without an elaborate forensics kit. About 10% current and recent magazines and newspapers, note they subscribe to about 25 national and world daily newspapers. About 10% non-traditional library media, we're a depository library for genealogical microfilm and have rows of readers and printers to use it, well over a hundred years of local newspaper on microfiche, etc. About 10% DVDs, audiobooks, music CDs, and ancient 1980s 1990s computer cds/dvds (shareware, multimedia shovelware, etc). About 10% meeting spaces ranging from small office like collaboration areas to a 100 or so person meeting hall. That leaves about 30% remaining for old fashioned physical paper books. Still the largest area by far, but a far cry from the old library.

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    4. Re:Libraries at their core.... by daath93 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You could easily have an excellent sci-fi collection of 54 books without having a single old, white male author among them.

      Yes, we should stop publishing white male authors until blacks and hispanics have decided they want to write sci-fi as much as white males. How far are we going to cary this farce of social injustice before we start to realize that blacks and hispanics are just interested in different crap than we are (on average)? Its not a CRIME to have different culteral priorities and interests.

  4. Ask a silly question in the title ... by dkleinsc · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm sure this is a useful program put together by well-meaning people. I'm reasonably certain that it's a net benefit for the patrons of the Fayetteville Free Library. But none of that remotely leads to the conclusion that "maker spaces" or "fab labs" are the future of public libraries. It just leads to the conclusion that it may be a program that's worth trying.

    My general rule, whenever a 'news' story has a question in the title, is that the answer to the question is almost always "No". For instance, "Steve Jobs revered as the Second Coming?" or "Can we improve web performance by using a product from some obscure tech company?".

    --
    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
    1. Re:Ask a silly question in the title ... by hedwards · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually, around here the libraries are mostly used by the well off. Or at least those are the people I see when I go to the library. The poor people don't seem to be interested in literature or the resources that the library has available. With the possible exception of the computers and a few workshops. But those things are also available from other places.

      When it comes to government services you tend to get what your officials demand. If they demand low quality fly by night services that's what you get. If they demand high quality services and provide funding that's what you tend to get. Especially if you have an active citizenry that demands it.

  5. Neat. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I want a metal brake, CNC mill, CNC lathe, cutting laser, water jet cutter, and TIG welding outfit at my library.

  6. Libraries and churchs by koan · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm not religious at all, I don't buy into it, however the positive side of religion is as a community center, a gathering places for people to come together and in that sense I support the idea.
    However I have often thought that libraries could be (and are) the same thing on a higher level, a community center laced with science, knowledge and education, (and fiction too) access for all and a saner, kinder place to gather.
    A church of the geek/nerd as it were.
    I have many fond memories of my local library, and anything that keeps them around is welcome, there should always be some place for us "non-believers" to gather.

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    1. Re:Libraries and churchs by tlhIngan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Like schools, libraries are have bought into the notion that their "mission" can't be accomplished without a social services component, because all members of the community have to be brought up to the same level.

      A library's mission is to promote the spreading of knowledge.

      Now, traditionally, say, just over a decade ago, this was done via books. Books of all kinds. Fiction counts too - even though they're read for enjoyment, that enjoyment may lead others to new conclusions. And nevermind the archives of newspapers and access to many journals of many fields.

      With the spread of the Internet, libraries had to become ISPs as well, because it's a vital source of knowledge. And a librarian is skilled enough to help knowledge-seekers decide if something on the Internet is possibly truthful. It's also why libraries try not to be judgemental, either.

      Many libraries also hold roundtables where authors and experts come in and give presentations - again, spreading knowledge. And the kid-reading-time helps inspire kids to seek out knowledge.

      A maker space is a good way to spread hands-on knowledge - the book on the shelf can do so much, now take that knowledge and apply it.

      A library's goal is to provide knowledge to those who seek it, regardless of means. They're often derided these days by people who think the internet is the be-all end-all of everything (usually by people of means who can buy the same books). Or perhaps by scared people of means who also want to keep the poor in their place - how dare they try to improve their lot and possibly compete.

  7. I love your premis. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    My local library is struggling for funds. Buying dead trees with ideas printed on them is out of the question - the budget is so restricted that library hours are being cut back constantly. I love my library and I support it every that I can - aside from volunteering because my state Georgia is run by ignorant, moronic, stupid, asinine, fucked up,

    You see, if I want to volunteer at my county library I have to state that I have never wanted to over-throw the US government because my idiotic, moronic, dipshit, redneck, ignorant, asshole, stupid, legislature says that I need to fill out this form (Sedition and Subversive Activities Questionnaire)!

    I'd like to say, that we in the State of Georgia in the US of A (not to be confused with Georgia the country - for my ignorant fellow Americans) are stupid, ignorant, Bible thumping morons!

    See, I can't fill it out and say "No" because I want to control the World and my first action as Emperor of the World is to condemn every Goddamn Georgia (US) legislator who voted for that bill to hard labor - actually any labor considering that they're all pampered assholes - and education outside of their moronic World view.

    Goddamn it! I Really Hate the South sometimes!!

    1. Re:I love your premis. by Migraineman · · Score: 3, Informative
      No, no, no. The system is designed to punish those who oppose it. You need to change your public-facing statements such that you are in compliance with the system.

      I want to control the World and my first action once elected as Emperor of the World is to prosecute every Goddamn Georgia (US) legislator who violated his oath of office to the fullest extent of the law.

      Take a hint from Miranda - anything you say can and will be used against you. Why would you provide your opponents with ammunition?

  8. Re:Until the Lawyers Show Up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    You idiot. He was replying to himself. Compare the usernames, blind man.

    trout007 trolled you well.

  9. Re:is frosty piss the future of beverages? by hedwards · · Score: 4, Funny

    Come on now, we've had Bud for decades.

  10. Fab Lab? by owlnation · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm all for redefining what a library is. I've always felt that libraries are potentially much more useful spaces than they are currently used for. The problem being that they are ultimately run by civil servants who are far from the most creative people on the planet. (They may even be the most uncreative people on the planet).

    However, let us not -- ever -- call these wonderful institutions, "makers spaces", or "fab labs", or any similar kind of retarded buzzword bullshit.

    There's a current global trend to turn museums into dumb infotainment centers for kids. Can we please not also make libraries the information centers for the new Idiocracy.

    By all means expand the boundaries of what a library is, but call it a library. If you are too fucking dumb to know what a library is, you should not even be in one.