This document provides guidance for organizing a Maker Faire at a public library in 3 easy steps. It discusses finding community partners to develop a vision for the event, planning outputs like the date and location, and defining roles for audiences, presenters, sponsors, staff, and volunteers. The document outlines lessons learned from the first two years of Makers@PPL, such as allowing drop-in activities instead of workshops and increasing space. It emphasizes that failure is an option in the planning process and encourages readers not to be afraid to host a Maker Faire even without resources like 3D printers.
3. WHATâS YOUR VISION
Portland Public Library will be the civic and cultural center of a dynamic
region in which citizens are literate, informed and .
â
â
engaged
The Library will provide resources and experiences that
inspire imagination, curiosity, awareness, and learning.
8. PPLâS MAKER SOLUTION
Makers@PPL:
A yearly event that
invites community
makers to create and
share their skills with
the community to
afford people
opportunities to new
learn skills
9. PITCHING YOUR PROGRAM
The Maker Movement is a technology-based extension of DIY culture,
that integrates hacking, tinkering, exploring, and creating.
10. IS IT FAIR TO CALL IT A FAIRE?
Makers@PPL
Maker Faire
11. WHO IS WHO
Each distinct group supporting the event is important to define.
Audience: People who come to the event
Presenters: People who share their skill at the event
Sponsors: People or organizations who financially support the event
Staff: People who work at your organization helping to prepare for the event
Volunteers: People outside of your organization who are helping at the event
12. NO MONEY, NO PROBLEM
Audience: Free!
Presenters: Budget could be sought to cover:
Materials used to allow audience to participate
Parking and/or travel
Snacks (maybe lunch someday)
Staff: Monday holiday the week of the event helps off set extra hours
Volunteers: Free!
15. HOW WE DID IT: MAKERS@PPL
Planning team: Anyone on staff who wants to help
Executive planning team: One director, a few (if possible!) presenter
leaders, one sponsorship manager, & one graphics manager
16. HOW WE DID IT: MAKERS@PPL
Pick a date 6+ months away
Commit resources, reserve spaces, start the asks
Limitations and capacity
21. LESSONS LEARNED: YEAR 1
Timed workshops donât work well
Drop in tables work best
Directional assistance is crucial
Audience counting is tricky
Outdoor
structures
require building
permits!
23. INTEGRATING LESSONS FOR YEAR 2
Graphics work started sooner, saved a lot of money!
Increase space
2015: 5,600 sq. ft.
2016: 8,500 sq. ft
More presenters, less workshops
Communication challenges: 82+ organizations, 35+ staff members,
20+ volunteers & others
24. LESSONS LEARNED: YEAR 2
Empty tables are sad tables
Social media hungry participants and presenters
Food hungry presenters
Presenter agreements and waivers
Events can happen in a community of any size, but the topic has to be relevant and important for it to ultimately be successful
Identify your partners both colleagues and volunteers inside the library, and organizations outside.
About cultivating an interest and thirst for this type of activity on staff
Interest group, etc
Be realistic
This will help drive your presenters and content, and provides an overarching theme
How do you find presenters
Community partners are key
Subject areas
Discussion on MAKE trademark and Faire vs Fair
Other people use branding like: maker fair, Festival of Curiosity, DIY Festival
So, youâre ready to goâŚ.
But yes, you will probably need some money. But less then you probably think.
Decide in advance how youâre going to structure presenters. Presenters shouldnât have to contribute personal funds to attend, but need not be paid for their time. They should want to be here.
Presenters who are also sponsors might get special treatment.
Grant from Margaret E. Burnham charitable trust
In-kind: all presenters (time for all, materials for many), some T-Shirt printing costs, some tent rentals
Refer to sponsor sheet
Smaller events might be fine with less planning time
Early and late meetings to settle on logistics, middle meetings less important
50 presenters is a good number to shoot for (square feet @ PPL year 1: 5560, year 2: 8500)
82 tabled presenters
3 roaming presenters
Everyone always wants lots of space, flexible space needs
Open call for presenters, build momentum and interest, and eventually, prestige
When you think about it, STEAM is at the heart of everything
Timed workshops should be very limited
Drop in tables work best
Directional assistance crucial
Audience counting is tricky
Graphics work, Print LESS than you think youâll need
Increase space
More presenters, less workshops
Communication is made a bit easier when it is streamlined
Small communities = more experimentation and more personalized to the interests and skills people have there
Monthly events
Mini maker fair
Partnering with other towns or schools
But you canât print a maker fair
Maker fairs can be low tech
Sewing, canning and preserving, print making, arts projects, sustainability projects, traditional science, food!, knot tying, lock picking,
