Makerspaces, part of the larger Maker Movement, are essentially "community centers with tools." They are designed to engage learners of all ages with tools and technologies as a way to craft new things and promote collaboration and mentorship. Participants may engage in activities that range from bookbinding to construction to coding. These makerspaces (sometimes referred to by different names, including library labs and tinker studios) are becoming increasingly common sights at public libraries. The University of Alberta's Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning (TLDL) program provides this helpful, detailed guide to the maker movement. Originally designed to accompany a university course, this guide may appeal to those new to the idea of makerspaces, as well as those who are more familiar with this growing movement and want to implement makerspaces into their library, community center, or school. The Background section is a great place to start and includes a detailed description of different kinds of makerspaces along with links to numerous articles and other resources about the movement. Meanwhile, in the Application section, visitors will find a number of materials to aide in setting up a makerspace. These materials include handouts and posters that define a makerspace and outline the respective role of students and mentors in such spaces, a short Prezi presentation, and a collection of links to outside resources that may ignite future project ideas.
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