STEAM facilities already on offer at North Clondalkin Library
Plans underway to develop creative educational workspaces at libraries
Plans are underway to develop makerspaces in three south Dublin libraries in the coming months.
Ballyroan, Tallaght and North Clondalkin libraries have been earmarked as locations for the multi-use, creative and educational community workspaces, which are set to open later this month.
At a meeting of the Arts, Culture, Gaeilge, Heritage & Libraries Strategic Policy Committee in May, senior librarian Emma Perry presented the plan for the three new spaces.
“A makerspace is a place in which people with shared interests, especially in computing or technology, can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge,” she explained.
The three spaces in Ballyroan, Tallaght and Clondalkin have been “created in line with 3 areas of the Library Development Plan: Our Library, Our Future 2023 – 2027”.
Ms Perry also updated SPC members in attendance on new maker furniture that has been purchased, and the plan to procure new larger pieces of equipment for the new spaces, as well as small items for Castletymon, Clondalkin, Lucan, Palmerstown and mobile libraries, including new 3d printers, laser cutters, vacuum formers, micro bit kits and more.
A Maker-in-Residence has been engaged by South Dublin Libraries, to “deliver a programme for all ages and varying abilities utilising the new Makerspaces in Ballyroan, North Clondalkin and Tallaght libraries”.
They will also be responsible for staff training, advise on maker/creator equipment and curate a tool library and loanable STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) backpacks for members of the public, among other duties.
In response to a question from Cllr Eoin Ó’Broin if the new Maker hired was an official SDCC employee, Ms. Perry confirmed they were a paid outside facilitator.
The official launch of the makerspaces at Tallaght, Ballyroan and North Clondalkin libraries is set to take place this month.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
