Maker Services in Academic Libraries: A Review of Case Studies

Abstract

Makerspaces and maker-centered learning have surged in popularity in higher education and particularly academic libraries in recent years, following trends that initially emerged in primary and secondary education and public libraries. As academic libraries develop services around maker activities and technologies, many case studies have emerged to share examples, best practices, and lessons learned from these endeavours. The purpose of this literature review is to summarise the information from the available case studies to answer the following research questions: How are academic libraries implementing makerspaces? What can we learn from case studies of academic library makerspaces? What are the prevailing gaps in the published literature on academic library makerspaces? The results of this review of case studies will be a guide for library staff who wish to implement makerspaces in their libraries, and will also serve to identify avenues for future research and scholarship on creative spaces in academic libraries.