Librarian Maker Camp

The libraries in The Netherlands are offering an increasing number of services nowadays. It's not only the place to read and borrow books, dvds or magazines, but you can also watch a movie, visit an exposition or... get to know digital fabrication! They may now have special maker spaces that are often equipped with a laser cutter, vinyl cutter or 3D printer. To school librarians in the latest digital making techniques, Waag has developed the Librarian Maker Camp.

Topics at a Librarian Maker Camp are typically digital fabrication, 3D printing, electronics and programming. The training and coaching of library employees is aimed at: the mindset (the philosophy behind ‘learning trough making’, what is the role of a library in this domain), the skills (to learn them and to transmit the knowledge to others) and the network (who can we cooperate with in the neighbourhood). 

Our experience

Waag helps the public libraries of Amsterdam to create 10 makers spaces at their libraries. Besides giving advice on the inventory, we train the librarians to become coaches of the maker spaces in our Librarian Maker Camp. We have organised a number of maker camps and also follow-up courses for those that want to go a step further.