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Welcome to Pelican Town College! With a diverse student population and a wide variety of fields of study, students may find themselves busy with coursework as well as other life commitments. At the Harvey Library, located on campus and dedicated to Pelican Town’s very own Dr. Harvey, library staff and admin have noticed a need for a creative space for students to channel their creativity, work on creative projects for classes, or even attend an art workshop hosted by Pelican Town College Art Department faculty and students! With our newly renovated building, we officially have a dedicated space for our new makerspace: The Junimo Junction.

Go Junimos!

The Idea

The Junimo Junction (which may be referred to as The Junction) will be a dynamic, flexible space within the library dedicated to hands-on creation, experimentation, and collaborative learning. It will feature diverse, low-to-mid-fidelity technologies and materials, such as 3D pens, vinyl cutters, soldering stations, sewing machines, art supplies, and basic electronics kits. The focus is not on high-end and complicated fabrication but on creative problem-solving as well as digital and physical literacy. Weekly workshops hosted by the Art Department faculty, students, and special guests will be the backbone of the program, planned by library staff in collaboration with the student body, ensuring the offerings are relevant and engaging to the campus community. This model leverages the power of peer-to-peer learning and distributed expertise.

Goals and Objectives:

1. Increase student engagement with the library by offering novel, non-traditional learning experiences.
2. Develop students’ 21st-century skills, including creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and practical technology application.
3. Foster a culture of student leadership and participatory design in library services.

The primary community is the entire student body, with a special focus on students in non-STEM disciplines (e.g., humanities, arts, social sciences) who may have limited access to similar facilities. The Junction will also serve student organizations looking for a space to collaborate and create promotional materials or projects. This helps them by providing a low-stakes environment for skill acquisition, a venue for creative decompression, and opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge to tangible projects, making the library a proactive partner in their holistic education. These student organizations may range from the Associated Student Council, student-run clubs, to student resource centers.

Check out what Georgia Tech has created for its students here! (Georgia Tech ECE, 2018)

Mission & Institutional Context

The Harvey Library’s mission is to empower a diverse learning community by connecting students, staff, and faculty with resources, fostering intellectual exploration, and cultivating a space for the co-creation of knowledge. The library serves a large, diverse, commuter-heavy student population with a high percentage of first-generation students. Current needs include offering more spaces for active, collaborative learning beyond traditional study rooms and group tables, and providing more opportunities for skill-building that complements classroom instruction. A makerspace, particularly one centered on student-led and participatory planning, is vital now because it directly addresses the need for experiential learning and community building, both of which are critical for student retention and success. The participatory model ensures the service is immediately relevant, maximizing impact with constrained resources. It transforms the library from a passive service provider into an active platform for student agency and applied learning, aligning with the institution’s strategic goals for student engagement.

This implementation plan strictly adheres to the principle of a technoplan over technolust, ensuring that the makerspace’s evolution is robustly based on the library’s mission of fostering intellectual exploration rather than succumbing to an “irrational love for new technology combined with unrealistic expectations” (Stephens, 2004).

Action Brief Statement

For Students

Convince all students that by participating in and proposing workshops in The Junimo Junction, they will discover the joy of hands-on creation and the practical application of their knowledge, which will cultivate a resilient, innovative mindset and build a powerful peer network because the library is about connecting resources, ideas, and, most importantly, people. With a commuter culture on campus, it is important to foster relationships amongst the student population, all while connecting these students to Harvey Library in order to further learn about study spaces and the student resources that exist inside.

For Staff

Convince library staff and faculty that by embracing the student-led makerspace model, they will discover new, authentic ways to engage with the campus community and redistribute instructional labor, which will redefine the library as a vital, high-impact hub of applied learning because the library’s future is in fostering student agency and active co-creation of services.

Inspiration

• Cal State Fullerton’s Makerspace: https://libraryguides.fullerton.edu/makerspace
• Cal State Fullerton’s Associated Students Inc. drop-in art workshops: https://asi.fullerton.edu/services/ (may have to scroll down about halfway)
• Georgia Tech’s The Hive Makerspace: https://hive.ece.gatech.edu/

Guidelines & Policies

The guidelines must prioritize safety, accessibility, and the student-led model.

• Usage Guidelines:
  • Safety First: Mandatory, brief online orientation module covering basic tool safety (e.g., safe use of vinyl cutters, soldering irons) before equipment access. The module may be viewed on a check-in tablet stationed at the entrance of the makerspace, or on a student’s personal device via a QR code.
  • Student-Led Workshop Policy: A streamlined proposal form for students to submit workshop ideas, including materials needed, learning goals, and desired schedule. Proposals will be reviewed weekly by a small advisory committee (librarian, student worker, and student user).
    • Students may apply to be a part of the committee at any point in the academic year, staff will add more students based on demand and scope of makerspace goals.
  • Reservations & Drop-in: Clear policy on reserving larger equipment (e.g., 3D printer time) versus drop-in use for low-fidelity tools and art supplies.
  • Code of Conduct: Zero-tolerance policy for creating weapons, illegal items, or hate-speech related content.
• Policy Creation Model:
  • The process for creating all operational policies (usage, safety, student-led workshop proposals) will be a model of community-led planning (Lenstra & Barbakoff, 2024). This ensures that the authority to make decisions regarding the space and its offerings is genuinely shared with the community it serves, namely, the students on the advisory committee.
• Approval & Creation:
  • The Library Management Team will provide final approval of the overall policy framework.
  • The Commons Advisory Committee (including students) will draft the specific operational procedures and workshop proposal criteria, ensuring a student-centric, participatory approach.
• Ethical, Access, or Operational Issues:
  • IP/Copyright: Clear guidance stating that the library does not claim ownership of student-created intellectual property, though a voluntary release for promotional photos will be requested.
  • Accessibility: Ensure the physical space, equipment, and training materials (e.g., orientation videos) meet accessibility standards (ADA compliance). The student-led workshop proposal form must include a section on how the presenter will ensure the activity is accessible to all learners.
  • Cost Recovery: Initial supplies will be free, but a policy for cost recovery on high-use consumables (e.g., large 3D prints, custom-ordered materials) may need to be developed after the pilot phase.

Timeline

A four-phase, 12-month timeline is realistic for a successful rollout.

Phase	Duration	Key Phases in Project Flow
Phase 1: Planning & Procurement	Months 1-3	Confirm the Space & Funding: Finalize location, acquire initial budget approval. Equipment & Materials Acquisition: Order core equipment (3D pens, vinyl cutter, basic art supplies). Policy Development: Draft and secure approval for safety and usage policies with the advisory committee and library administration.
Phase 2: Build-Out & Training	Months 4-6	Space Setup: Furniture installation, power drops, security features. Staff Recruitment & Training: Hire and train initial student workers; train core staff liaison. Marketing Materials Creation: Develop branding and core promotional assets.
Phase 3: Soft Launch & Pilot	Months 7-9	Internal Workshops: Run test workshops with staff and student workers to refine logistics. Student Leader Recruitment: Solicit and onboard the first cohort of student workshop leaders. Social media and on-campus advertisements may be used. Pilot Program: Offer 4-6 student-led weekly workshops for a small, targeted user group (e.g., student clubs).
Phase 4: Grand Opening & Full Launch	Months 10-12	Grand Opening Event: Major campus event to introduce The Junimo Junction. Full Workshop Schedule: Implement a full slate of 8-12 weekly student-led workshops. Evaluation Framework: Deploy initial user surveys and start tracking metrics.

Marketing & Promotion

The marketing message will emphasize agency, community, and low-barrier entry.

• Internal Promotion (Staff Buy-in):
  • Staff Briefings: Hold informational sessions showcasing successful projects and emphasizing how the makerspace will alleviate staff instruction burden by utilizing peer-to-peer learning.
  • Internal Newsletter: Feature “Spotlight on Student Innovation” stories to demonstrate impact.
• External Promotion (User Engagement):
  • Communication Channels:
    • Social Media: Dedicated Instagram/TikTok feed (run by student workers) showcasing in-progress projects and workshop proposals.

    • 

      (CSUF Associated Students Inc., 2024)

    • In-Library Signage: High-traffic digital displays with a “Workshop Proposal of the Week” and a schedule board.
    • Targeted Outreach: Partner with student-facing offices (e.g., Student Life, Academic Advising) and specific academic departments (Art, Communications) to promote the workshop leadership opportunity. Librarian liaisons may also advertise The Junction when visiting classes to introduce students to library resources.
    • Email: Weekly opt-in newsletter with the workshop schedule and a prominent link to the proposal form.

Staff Training & Readiness

Training will focus on shifting staff roles from direct instructor to facilitator and supporter of student learning.

• Information/Skills Needed:
  • Technical Familiarity: Core staff need basic familiarity with all equipment (e.g., how to load a vinyl cutter, basic 3D printer troubleshooting) to assist with open lab hours.
  • Facilitation and Safety: Skills in managing a creative public space, basic first aid, and ensuring compliance with safety protocols.
  • Participatory Planning: Training on how to effectively review student proposals, provide constructive feedback, and empower students to lead.
• Buy-in Strategy: The staff training and communication plan is focused on achieving staff buy-in, as opposed to burnout, by involving staff from the beginning of the planning process. By consulting front-line staff on the impact on service delivery and workflow, the library avoids “surprising a team of library workers with a new technology,” which can be a recipe for service disaster (Stephens, 2004).

• Who Will Be Trained and Who Will Train Them?
  • Core Team (Liaison Librarian & Student Workers): Trained by external consultants or by attending workshops/conducting peer studies at existing makerspaces on technical skills and operational best practices.
  • Public Services Staff: Trained by the Core Team on high-level equipment function, safety procedures, and how to direct students to resources/student leaders.
• Materials/Support Tools:
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Detailed, visual guides for equipment use, troubleshooting, and opening/closing the space.
  • Student Leader Handbook: A guide for students on how to design, market, and lead a successful workshop, including a template for materials and lesson plans.
  • Digital Resource Hub: A dedicated intranet site with links to all manuals, contact information, and the workshop proposal tracking system.

Evaluation & Future Expansion

The evaluation will be guided by the success of the participatory model and its impact on student engagement.

• Performance Benchmarks & Usage Metrics:
  • Participatory Success: Number of unique student-led workshop proposals submitted and executed per semester (Target: 10+).
  • Engagement: Total attendance at workshops (Target: 500+ unique student visits per academic year).
  • Community: Number of non-academic student groups using the space for project creation.
  • Library Perception: Increase in positive responses on a quarterly library survey related to opportunities for creative learning and library relevance.

• Success Stories: At The Junimo Junction, we hope to tell stories about students successfully using the equipment (e.g., a history major 3D printing an ancient artifact model for a presentation) and students who developed professional-level teaching and leadership skills by consistently leading workshops.
• Feedback Gathering:
  • Workshop Exit Tickets: Quick, anonymous surveys after each workshop on content and instruction quality.
  • Student Advisory Committee: The advisory committee will serve as the formal feedback channel, reviewing data and suggesting improvements.
  • Suggestion Box: A physical and digital box for ongoing, informal feedback and equipment suggestions.
• Future Growth:
  • Expansion of Equipment: Adding high-demand equipment (e.g., laser cutter) if initial demand is consistently high and budget allows.
  • Academic Integration: Partnering with faculty to formally integrate makerspace use into course assignments (e.g., using printing materials to create displays for Business student poster sessions or using recording equipment for a podcast intro for a Communications class).
  • Certified Student Mentors: Creating a tiered system where experienced student leaders can be trained and compensated to offer one-on-one consultation and advanced training during open lab hours.

References

Associated Students Inc., CSUF on Instagram. Instagram. (2024). https://www.instagram.com/p/C5HF1nRMean/?img_index=1

Georgia Tech ECE. (2018). Interdisciplinary Design Commons (IDC) – An ECE Makerspace for All. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDrdQhrnWCw

Lenstra, N., & Barbakoff, A. (2024). Working Hand in hand. American Libraries Magazine. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2024/03/01/working-hand-in-hand/

Samaniego, D. (2023). CSUF makerspace encourages innovation among students. Daily Titan. https://dailytitan.com/lifestyle/csuf-makerspace-encourages-innovation-among-students/article_8920d874-adbc-11ed-b84c-0b9e2157ca0b.html

Stephens, M. (2004). Technoplans vs. Technolust. Tame the Web. https://tametheweb.com/2004/11/01/technoplans-vs-technolust/