The Paul H. Thompson Library at Fayetteville Technical Community College has received a grant that will fund a new educational workspace – known as a Makerspace Lab – within the library.
The $11,936 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services will be used to create the lab that will serve college students.
Makerspace rooms have been popping up in schools around the country in recent years, and they are geared toward hands-on learning to promote creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving. 
Equipment may differ from school to school, but many Makerspace rooms are equipped with a combination of items like computers, 3D printers, art supplies, woodworking tools and more. 
Laurence Gavin, director of the Paul H. Thompson Library, said a Makerspace Lab is something the library has wanted to create for some time. The Makerspace is an initiative for the library to incorporate a physical creative space where students can come and work on collaborative projects together.
“It’s a creative space where students are going to be able to use their creativity and imaginations to achieve their educational goals,” Gavin said.
There is space within the library currently being repurposed to accommodate the new lab. The room is empty, but the library is now in the process of ordering the equipment with help from the grant.
Some of the equipment planned for the space includes a new computer, a 3D printer, a Cricut cutting machine and a Raspberry Pi computer, which is a programming tool students can use to program small robots; Gavin said ideally the 3D printer will work hand-in-hand with the Raspberry Pi to create whatever the students choose to program. The funds will also go toward purchasing furniture and related supplies to support curriculum programs.
Gavin also said the library trains work study students, who help out at the library; these students, as well as other library staff, will be trained to help maintain the Makerspace.
The library had to submit a timeline of opening the Makerspace Lab when staff applied for the grant. The plan is to get it up and running by the end of December, with it being fully operational by the spring semester. 
Gavin said the library receives anecdotal information, as well as survey responses, from students every year, and getting a creative space to do projects is one of the things students have asked for.  
Over the last three and a half years, staff has been reinventing the library to include more collaborative spaces, including study rooms and learning common areas for students.
This Makerspace Lab was supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-249980-OLS-21).  
Gavin said the library staff was very excited to receive the grant, along with the college administrative staff.
“We’re working with the curriculum programs and the continuing education programs for integrating the Makerspace into their coursework, so they’re excited as well,” he said.
Gavin is eager for students to start utilizing the new space. 
“We’re looking forward to getting it up and running and having the students come in and take advantage of it,” he said.
The library plans to write a grant next year through the Institute to get virtual reality equipment for the Makerspace, and then look into expanding its Makerspace services, depending on feedback from students. 
The State Library of North Carolina announced its 2021-2022 Library Services and Technology Act (also known as LSTA) grant awardees in June. A press release from the state library mentioned this year’s $4,843,343 federal allotment is being distributed on behalf of North Carolina’s libraries through programs and services available under the North Carolina LSTA Five Year Plan. The 47 awards go to local library projects that strengthen capacity, expand access and engage communities. 
LSTA grants are awarded in response to specific needs of public, academic and community college libraries. These federal funds are investments that help libraries deliver relevant and up-to-date services to their communities.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.
Through the LSTA Grants to State program, the institute provides funds to state library agencies using a population-based formula. State libraries may use the appropriation to support statewide initiatives and services. They may also distribute the funds through competitive subgrants to public and academic libraries (learn more about the Institute at www.imls.gov). 
The Paul H. Thompson Library is located at 2221 Hull Road in Fayetteville and can be reached at 910-678-8247. Learn more about the library at faytechcc.edu/campus-life/library/.