San José State University School of Information is hosting its third and final Library 2.017 web conference on the subject of “makerspaces” Oct. 11. The conference will be held entirely online from noon to 3 p.m. Pacific Time, and registration is free.

The San José State University School of Information is hosting its third and final Library 2.017 web conference on the subject of “makerspaces” Oct. 11. The conference will be held entirely online from noon to 3 p.m. Pacific Time, and registration is free.

Developed in collaboration with Dr. Heather Moorefield-Lang from the University of South Carolina, the conference is described as a “unique opportunity to showcase the research, work, and thinking on ‘maker learning spaces,’ especially the way that libraries and librarians utilize makerspaces to deliver services to their community.”

Moorefield-Lang’s current research focuses on makerspaces and their subsequent technologies in libraries of all types and levels. She will serve as the opening keynote panel moderator leading the discussion around makerspaces and how libraries can partner with communities. Opening keynote panelists include Drs. June Abbas and Kyungwon Koh (University of Oklahoma), Dr. Leanne Bowler (University of Pittsburgh), and Kristin Fontichiaro (University of Michigan). Moorefield-Lang will also deliver the final conference thoughts.

Scheduled between the keynote sessions will be a number of concurrent crowd-sourced sessions. Among the accepted proposals to be presented are “Volunteers at Your Library Makerspace,” “Low Cost Tools to Bring Making into Your Library,” “Sending the Invitation: Getting Kids to Use Makerspaces,” “From Zero to System Wide Makerspace in Three Grants and Four Years,” and “Finding What Fits: Approachability of Makerspaces and Making in the Library.” Proposals can be submitted through October 1, although spaces may fill before the proposal deadline.

Earlier this year, Library 2.017 web conferences covered the topics of “fake news and digital literacy” and “expertise, competencies and careers.” Thousands of information professionals worldwide joined the SJSU School of Information for these stimulating conversations. The recordings are available under the Archives tab on the Library 2.0 website and at the Library 2.0 YouTube channel.

Conference co-chairs Dr. Sandra Hirsh and Steve Hargadon are already preparing three topic-specific conferences for Library 2.018, with the first conference slated for March. More information on the 2018 events will be available in January.