Amy's blog

After surveying Illinois libraries, we turned our energies toward prototyping - putting together test kits and selecting pilot libraries.

We’ve started with 5 kits and 5 libraries:

Back in March we surveyed over 300 Illinois librarians (327 to be exact) from all across the state to find out if they were even interested in the maker movement and our circulating maker kits. Thankfully, and as we expected, the answer is yes! And an overwhelming yes at that. 

On Friday, May 23rd, Allison, Liz and I visited with some of the folks behind the Maker Lab at Chicago Public Library.

Instructables is expanding their Build Night program to libraries with maker communities! 

For Build Nights, Instructables partners with companies that make fun materials and tools. Makerspaces, hackerspaces, and now libraries, can apply to host a Build Night and receive the materials for free. Locations that receive materials agree to host an event during the designated month. Participants experiment with the materials and then share the creations on Instructables.com.

Dreaming about a makerspace (or already have one), but don’t know how you’ll pay for the equipment and software? Here’s a universal truth: It never hurts to ask.

Meet the Makers of Make It @ Your Library! 

Video of our final ILEAD USA presentation in October. Learn all about how Make It @ Your Library came to be! 

You may have noticed that some of the projects we share on Make It @ Your Library could be considered hazardous. 

So why would we share ideas for maker activities that are potentially dangerous? Because the maker movement embraces all types of makers and doers with a wide range of skills and interests. 

Way back in March 2013, Make It @ Your Library was just a glimmer in our eyes. We went to Springfield, IL for the first meeting of ILEAD USA with a simple concept, to create a resource that would connect libraries of all shapes and sizes with the maker activities that suit them.

We know that librarians are a creative bunch and that many of you have probably designed your own maker activities for use in library programming. 

Have you thought about sharing your creations with other libraries? Now you can! Your maker projects can appear on Make It @ Your Library, here's how: