A Brief History of Makerspaces in Libraries

In my day job, I recently worked on a book about makerspaces. A makerspace, as defined by Wikipedia, "is a community-operated workshop where people with common interests, often in computers, technology, science, digital art or electronic art, can meet, socialize and/or collaborate." Projects that have also been connected to makerspaces include crafts, such as jewelry making, knitting and crocheting, making terrariums, and more.

Testing a generator at the H.Y.P.E. Makerspace at the Detroit Public Library.
Photo via www.anythinklibraries.org

Although makerspaces have been making much news as of late, they are not a new phenomena. Makerspaces have existed in some way, shape, or form for centuries. However, the public library has been integral to the makerspace movement from very early on. According to the book I worked on, one of the first makerspaces in the United States (if not the first makerspace in the U.S.) was in a public library. The book made reference to a February 2013 article in American Libraries magazine titled "Manufacturing Makerspaces." The article featured a timeline of "A History of Making" in libraries, which you can see below.

A History of Making

1873
Gowanda, New York
The Gowanda Ladies Social Society formed to quilt, knit, sew, socialize, and talk about books. In 1877, it became the Ladies Library Association, receiving a state library charter in 1990 as the Gowanda Free Library.

1905
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Frances Jenkins Olcott, children's department head, helped to establish home libraries in working-class houses, where she organized crafts such as sewing or basketry for local kids.

1933
Manitoba (Canada) Crafts Museum and Library
Created as a meeting place and resource connecting people to crafts, the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library in Winnipeg is dedicated to preserving the province's cultural heritage and teaching students how to craft.

1960
Nebraska Library Commission
Funded in FY1960 by the Library Services Act of 1956, the Nebraska Library Commission (then known as the Nebraska Public Library Commission) in Lincoln hosted a variety of special activities, including creative arts, that were organized by area groups.

1976
The Tool Library
The Rebuilding Together Central Ohio Tool Library was created by Columbus as the tool-gathering library with a federal community development block grant. In March 2009, Rebuilding Together Central Ohio took over operation of the library.

1979
Merrimack (New Hampshire) Public Library
The newly renovated and expanded Merrimack Public Library opened with a children's craft room.

2011
Fayetteville (New York) Free Library Makerspace
The first 21st-century makerspace opened in Fayetteville Free Library. It was the first of its kind in a public library and includes a 3-D printer that works in a mobile capacity.

Since 2011, makerspaces have been incorporated at a steady pace in public libraries across the country, such as at the Westport Library in Connecticut (2012); the Detroit Public Library in Michigan (2012); the Piscataway Public Library in New Jersey (2013); the Chicago Public Library in Illinois (2013); and the Cleveland Public Library in Ohio (2014). As the maker movement continues to gather steam, it is certain that even more public libraries will open their doors to those eager to create with their hands.

In addition to offering "A History of Making" in libraries, the American Libraries article "Manufacturing Makerspaces" also highlights "Three Makerspace Models That Work," "Cool Stuff to Outfit Your Makerspace," and more. You can read the article at THIS LINK. For a list of resources on makerspaces in libraries, go HERE.

A Cautionary Tale

A poster designed and distributed exclusively by the Helford Gallery Ltd., for sale at this website.

Librarians Get Real About Salaries on Reddit

Last week, library workers took to Reddit to talk about something that's rarely discussed in public: salaries. The question "Librarians of Reddit, what is your income and how many years of experience do you have?" elicited more than 70 responses. Under the cloak of online anonymity, librarians and library workers in the United States and beyond got real about what they make.
 

Image via www.jillianditner.com

The majority of those who responded to the question posted on Reddit work at academic libraries. The next sizable percentage work at public libraries. Others are employed in law libraries, corporate libraries, school libraries, or special libraries, such as the librarian/archivist who works at a fashion company. It seemed that most who participated in the online discussion are in the Midwest or live along the East Coast of the United States. There were a noticeable few who joined in from Canada, and at least one Australian added to the discussion.

Judging from the discussion thread, those who make the most are library directors (big surprise, huh?) and library managers. Those who work in the academic sphere are among the top earners, followed by those who work within a corporation. Respondents whose library job involves a digital component or an element of IT (information technology) rake in big bucks as well. Those at the lower end of the earning spectrum were part-time workers and library pages.

In the thread, many bemoaned their low pay, which seemed to be due to salary freezes or salary cuts. This reply, from bibliothecaire, was typical:

"I have an understanding supervisor as well. It sucks because I like my co-workers, my library, and the college. The pay is simply too low and there's little chance of a raise unless a faculty librarian position opens up. I've been here nearly 3 years."

Another factor that affects salaries is where the library job itself is located. A "recent grad from Canada" named MalarkeyTFC began by saying:

"I have been looking into jobs in the States, and the discrepancy in pay between different states is mind blowing to me. The farther away from major urban centres (or from major university towns and what not) you get, the salaries just seem to tank. I've seen jobs in St. Louis that for all intents and purposes were identical to jobs in Boston or New York, and they got paid 1/3rd of their counterparts. This is funny to me almost because in Canada, it's the opposite. The farther away from urban centres you go, the higher the salaries tend to be because no one wants to live in butt fuck nowhere during the middle of winter."

(This is something I did not know until now - that if I were to go to Canada for a library job, I would have to live far from where the action is in order to get higher pay. It's kind of a fascinating dynamic actually, considering it is the complete opposite here in the States.)

Replying to MalarkeyTFC, others pointed out that the cost of living is substantially higher in major urban centers in the United States. As a result, salaries tend to be higher in order to (ideally) cover the cost of living in an expensive urban center, such as New York or Chicago. However, in smaller towns, in the suburbs, and in the country, library workers' salaries tend to hover in the low-to-mid 30s. So geography, as well as the type of company and the library worker's position within that company, can make a difference in take-home pay. 

Another factor affecting pay is the years of experience on the job or in the field of librarianship. The years of experience among those who participated in the Reddit discussion ranged from those newly graduated from library school to those who've been employed in the field for decades. In fact, one respondent said they've worked "22 years total as a librarian," with 17 of those years spent at their current employer! Of course, that person is earning quite a bit, "making mid-90K."

Admittedly, I'm not entering librarianship for the money. But it is interesting to note what the reality is when it comes to personal income for those in the field. For further insight into what librarians and library workers earn, and the factors affecting this income, check out the Reddit discussion, "Librarians of Reddit, what is your income and how many years of experience do you have?", at THIS LINK.

For Your Listening Pleasure

Dewey Decimal and the Librarians were an actual band of folk musicians formed in the early 1960s in St. Paul, Minnesota. The band released one album in 1965.

Front of their 1965 album.
Image via http://footprints.organique.com

Back of their 1965 album, featuring the track listing.
Image via Southern Folklife Collection on Facebook

According to Bob Stimson, banjo player in Dewey Decimal and the Librarians, the band is still together, playing class reunions at Macalester College in St. Paul. They're also available for performances if travel and other expenses are paid.

Books + Coffee + Tattoos

Newly opened Vice Coffee promises to be a three-in-one stop for inked caffeine fiends who love a good read. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, establishment is a coffee house, a tattoo parlor, and a lending library - all rolled into one.

"I was hoping that copy of Rimbaud Complete would be here when I got in this morning, dammit."
Image via https://www.facebook.com/vicecoffee

Tattoos are mostly by appointment, coffee (and soups, salads and sandwiches, including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options) is served daily, and books can be had whenever Vice Coffee is open for business. Its hours of operation are Monday through Wednesday, 7 AM to 9 PM; Thursday through Friday, 7 AM to 10 PM; Saturday, 9 AM to 10 PM; and Sunday, 9 AM to 9 PM.

According to Vice Coffee's Facebook page, the lending library has 400 books...and counting. Looking at the photos, the lending library does contain some literature (for instance, John Irving), but many of the books appear to be about tattooing, which shouldn't be surprising considering the place of business. The books, which are a mix of new and used, are borrowed based on the honor system.
 

A corner of the lending library at Vice Coffee. It now has over 400 books.
Image via https://www.facebook.com/vicecoffee

(If you're curious about exactly what books are available at Vice Coffee, take a look at THIS ONLINE CATALOG that Library Thing has for the lending library.)

At Vice Coffee, there are Android and iPhone charging stations and free Wi-Fi. There are also First Friday events, where there are beer and whiskey tastings, photo exhibits (with the photographers present), and much mingling and book browsing. The coffee house is located across the street from a live-music venue, Union Transfer, so in the evenings the crowd might be a little more rock and roll compared to the early-morning, grab-a-coffee-before-work customers.
 

A supporter of Vice Coffee reads with his daughter.
Image via https://www.facebook.com/vicecoffee

Vice Coffee is located at 1031 Spring Garden Street, between N. 10th and N. 11th Streets. If you're in Philadelphia, be sure to stop by. In the meantime, like it on Facebook and/or follow it on Twitter.

Stephin Merritt Writing a Book of Poetry

Stephin Merritt must share my love of Scrabble. The musician, who is best known for being the principal singer and songwriter in the indie pop band The Magnetic Fields, is writing a book of poetry that was inspired by the classic word game.
 

Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt, a multi-instrumentalist who can masterfully turn a phrase.
Image via ew.com

The forthcoming book, titled 101 Two-Letter Words, will be filled with original four-line poems written by Merritt. Each of the poems will be based on the 101 two-letter words that are accepted in a game of Scrabble. One of the poems in the book goes:

The country folk say "howdy-do"
but here in town, it's "yo";
they'll say it in the country too
in twenty years or so.
 

Image via brooklynvegan.com

101 Two-Letter Words features illustrations by Roz Chast. It will be published as a hardcover book and will be released by W. W. Norton and Company in October of this year. The suggested retail price is $19.95. Called "a witty and unique book in celebration of two-letter words" by the marketing team at Norton, the book is already getting endorsements:

"When I have no Scrabble move,
I really cannot bear it.
From Aa to Za, help has arrived —
Why, thank you, Stephin Merritt!" — Lemony Snicket

Now let me put on "You, You, You, You, You" from The 6ths' album Hyacinths and Thistles (another one of Merritt's creative endeavors) before I pull my Scrabble game down from the top of the closet.

A Familiar Scenario

Image via From My Shelf Books & Gifts on Facebook