The document discusses the integration of digital fabrication services within libraries, particularly at MIT, highlighting how traditional library offerings may evolve to include functionalities like 3D printing and makerspaces. It emphasizes the importance of libraries in facilitating access to prototyping and fabrication technologies, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting research in design and engineering. The text also explores current trends in library makerspaces, their role in literacy, and the emerging need for improved discovery of 3D files.

1. Digital Fabrication as a Library-
Integrated Service
Matt Bernhardt, MIT Libraries
Liberact 2014
March 12, 2014

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Digitally Fabricated Data

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Digitally Fabricated Data

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How do library offerings such as:
• discovery services,
• reference services and finding aids,
• data management, and
• institutional repositories
change when an essential outcome is a physical
replica, functional prototype, or sensing-object?
Digital Fabrication as a Library-
Integrated Service

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INITIAL OBSERVATIONS

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Work at MIT
• Dr. Micah Altman, Informatics Program
• Purchased Makerbot printer and Sense
scanner for evaluation.
• Researching how other libraries are deploying
these technologies.
• Searching for best method to apply the
strengths of libraries in this space.

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Before MIT
• Six years as Digital Fabrication Coordinator,
Knowlton School of Architecture (Ohio State)
• Master of Architecture

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DigitizationFabrication
Digital Fabrication > 3D Printing
Digital Fabrication encompasses a wide range of
digitally-controlled manufacturing processes.
• Additive
• Deformative
• Subtractive
Digitization is a closely-related process.

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DigitizationFabrication
Digital – Physical Cycle

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LIBRARIES AND MAKERSPACES

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Libraries and Makerspaces
• 41% of respondents currently provide
makerspaces – or maker activities - in their
libraries
• 36% are planning to in the near future.
“Makerspaces: A Practical Guide for Librarians”
Survey by John Burke, Miami University
http://www.infodocket.com/2013/12/16/results-of-makerspaces-in-libraries-
study-released/

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Libraries and Makerspaces
[Chicago Public Library] … “a hackerspace or
makerspace, a community-operated workspace
where people with common interests, often in
technology and science, come together to learn and
collaborate.
[OEDB] … “Makerspaces, sometimes also referred
to as hackerspaces, hackspaces, and fablabs are
creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to
create, invent, and learn. In libraries they often
have 3D printers, software, electronics, craft and
hardware supplies and tools, and more.”

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…at MIT?

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…at MIT?

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…at MIT?
“Today, we face an increasing challenge in giving
our students the knowledge and experience of
reducing theory to practice.”
"Project Athena brought about a wave of
innovation in the software realm; could new Maker
Spaces together with a reinforced commitment to
learning-by-doing create the next generation of
tinkerers, fluent in advanced manufacturing and
rapid prototyping techniques?”
-Institute-wide Task Force on the Future of MIT Education

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Local Options

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Online Providers

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NON-CREATIVE EXAMPLES

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Many sources of 3d data

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Many sources of 3d data

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Many sources of 3d data

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Many sources of 3d data

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RECENT WORK

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Research Guides

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IAP and Brown Bag Sessions

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The case for libraries in digital
fabrication
• We ‘know’ information
– Fab makes information material, and vice versa
• We are interdisciplinary
– Making crosses all disciplinary boundaries
• We build literacy
– making builds literacy in design, science, technology,
engineering, art, and math
• We support research
– to use fab researchers need support – with core set
of skills and knowledge outside their research
domain
• We steward the scholarly record
– digitizations, designs, models are all unique &
valuable parts of the record being produced here &
now
• We create physical spaces for research and
learning
– successful ‘makerspaces’ bring together ‘good’
location; ‘good’ space; hardware & software; skilled
staff; local and global knowledge management

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TWO NEEDED PROJECTS

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Discovery for 3d files

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Discovery for 3d files

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Improve 3D File Display

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Improve 3D File Display

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Thank You!
Matt Bernhardt
maker-lib@mit.edu
@morphosis7
http://informatics.mit.edu
Dr. Micah Altman
Randi Shapiro
Wenqing Lu

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3D PRINTING AND BOOKS
Epilogue

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On Such A Full Sea

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Inspiration. The inspiration of the artist

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Orihon