Makerspaces: Uniting Makers and Creating a Creative Communal Lab

The world of making is a transformative experience for library staff and patrons. A patron may experience a variety of emotions during their first visit to a makerspace. As leaders, we strive to cultivate their curiosities and establish balance and a sense of belonging. To ease patrons into the makerspace, the library pursues various leads to engage patrons and nurture their desire for lifelong learning as they pursue diverse technologies. This presentation will analyze Ontario City Library’s initiatives to expand the growth of the makerspace as it unifies a new generation of makers and explore the balance within the workplace that fosters a collaborative maker community.