Library makerspaces help enrich our communities

Over 50% of Americans’ New Year’s resolutions are cutting back on spending and saving more in 2025. While many are looking for ways to reduce everyday costs, there’s a community resource already available year-round: the library makerspace.

A makerspace is a hands-on space where people can create, repair, and tinker. It is equipped with tools like sewing machines, power tools, soldering kits, laser cutters, and more, along with workshops and support.

From tailoring clothes and repairing gadgets to crafting personalized gifts, library makerspaces offer an affordable way for people of all ages to save money while building skills and creativity.

Since the introduction of the first public library makerspace at the Fayetteville Free Library in 2011, the number of library makerspaces has grown significantly. In 2013, the American Library Association spotlighted the Maker Movement, with its Center for the Future of Libraries identifying it as a key trend shaping library services. The inaugural White House Maker Faire in 2014 further amplified national support.

More than a decade later, surveys reveal that nearly 90% of the over 9,000 public libraries in the U.S. offer maker programming and 40% have maker production equipment.

Yet one proposed bill in Indiana attempted to restrict libraries to a narrow set of “core functions”— providing access to materials, quiet study spaces, technical help, and basic services. But such efforts fail to recognize the evolving role of today’s libraries and their non-traditional services that meet the needs of a rapidly changing society.

At the heart of a public library’s mission is access to information. Traditionally, this meant books, newspapers, and magazines — text- or print-based resources. Today, information is shared, stored, and experienced in various formats, including digital, three-dimensional, and hands-on forms.

Historically, libraries have responded to changing needs, providing books when they were scarce and computers before they were household staples. Now, makerspaces broaden access to tools that individuals might not otherwise be able to afford.

Numerous studies over the past decades suggest that these spaces foster essential skills, such as design, prototyping, digital literacy, creativity, and problem-solving, as well as community building. For underserved communities, this support can be transformative, enabling participation in the knowledge economy or simply encouraging creativity for its own sake.

My research team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted an Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded study that examined the impact of library makerspaces through interviews with library users, non-users, youth, staff, and community stakeholders in several Chicago-area towns, including Indian Trails Public Library District, DeKalb Public Library, and Joliet Public Library.

The data shows that makerspaces support the core missions of libraries in innovative and expanded ways, reflecting the core values of social equity, access, and public good.

Research participants reported that these libraries are a source of pride for their community and a valuable resource for their families.

Makerspaces are just one example of the many non-traditional services today’s libraries offer.

Moving into a new year, it is important to reaffirm the commitment to the vital role of public libraries. While concerns about the potential impact of Project 2025 on library funding are significant, libraries must remain a steadfast public good that transcends political divides.

Their funding cannot be subject to the shifting tides of political change. Libraries stand as cornerstones of democracy, lifelong learning, community, and cultural heritage—values that unite all.

Kyungwon Koh, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the director of the Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab  and a Public Voices Fellow with The OpEd Project.

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