I enjoy creating to beautiful music. Often it is simply drawing shapes and lines to express the rise and fall of a symphony. Sometimes I paint the emotion, dance or atmosphere of a Samba beat. I also get carried away in the creation of something exciting with glitter, sequins, pompoms and lots of glitter glue.
Makerspace as its name implies is a space for makers. The environment matters as much as the creation. It must be a space not only well stocked with interesting supplies but one that invites, incites and excites the eye and mind. A space that encourages curiosity and questions: How does it work? How can I create something that exists in my mind? How can I recreate something that I saw or experienced in a new and unusual way?
Then, take those ideas and test them. If I recreate a butterfly, can I make the wings work? Can I make the colors match? What else can I learn about butterflies? All of a sudden an ordinary, everyday “make a butterfly” craft turns into an educational moment.
Makerspace can be extravagant, expensive and large. But I find it more interesting when I take the ordinary, reusable and humdrum and make it extraordinary, useful and fascinating. Like bottle caps, colored lids, dental floss, facial tissue and toothpicks to create a reproduction of Lady Liberty.
Makerspace can be outdoors and messy or indoors and neat (or indoors and messy and outdoors and neat.). Take kitchen utensils outside and create a feast of grass, leaves and the ever ooey-gooey delicious mud pie. Bring in rocks and paint them, leaves and craft them, seeds and…I don’t know; do something with them.
Makerspace is as big as your imagination. Remember to ask lots of questions: How do wheels work? Will glue hold leaves together? Why do things fly? Read books that make you think about things differently. Did you know there are whole series of books that do not have words, only pictures? You make up the story as you go, you can make it up different each time. Ask new questions; ask “WHY?” a lot.
At the Crawfordsville District Public Library we also have resources for you to use. Try books like “The Most Magnificent Thing” (j E Spi) by Ashley Spires and “What to Do with an Idea” (j E Yam) by Kobi Yamada located in the children’s department. If you’re an adult, read picture books, bring out the kid in you. If you are a parent grab some resources like “The Big Book of Makerspace Projects” (621.988 Gra) by Colleen Graves and “Unplugged Play” (790.1922 Con) by Bobbi Conner; both are located in the adult non-fiction collection area on the second floor. Remember the idea is to generate questions and then do makerspace to find some answers.
Join us on Facebook on second Mondays, starting Sept. 14, for CDPL’s “Makerspace Mondays.” We will be posting prompts and supply list to start a community of Makerspace Crafters, spread a little joy and creativity. Hope to see you there. Questions? Call us at 765-362-2242, ext. 117, or email us at ref@cdpl.lib.in.us.
Megan Noggle is a reference library assistant at the Crawfordsville District Public Library.
