Makerspaces in Libraries at U.S. Public Colleges and Universities: A Census

Abstract

Makerspaces continue to grow in popularity in library ecosystems, yet no one has done a census on important data points, such as total active makerspaces, planned makerspaces, and types of makerspaces in public colleges and universities in the United States. The objective of this report is to gather baseline data on makerspaces, the majority of which are in academic libraries. Using an audit of websites, the researchers conducted a census of makerspaces at colleges and universities, collecting such data as makerspace status, location, and departmental affiliation. The researchers identified 284 active makerspaces and 35 planned makerspaces across 214 institutions; of these, 110 were affiliated with their institution's library. This census offers a helpful baseline, but more data collection will provide a fuller representation of makerspaces in the United States.