Massachusetts School Library Association
MEMBER PORTAL:                 
​Join or Renew     Member Directory
  • Home
  • About MSLA
    • Spotlight Archive
    • Executive Board Meetings
    • MSLA Leadership 2018-19 >
      • Meet the MSLA eBoard
    • Joint Statements: MLA, MassCUE
    • Professional Affiliations
    • Strategic Plan 2016-22
    • MSLA Constitution
  • Membership
    • Member Portal
    • Join or Renew Your Membership
    • Members Map
    • Email List
    • Regions >
      • Northeast
      • Boston
      • Metrowest
      • Southeast
      • Central
      • West
    • Volunteer
  • Professional Learning
    • Annual Conference
    • MSLA and PDPs
    • Twitter Chat
    • Member Blogs
    • Unconference
  • Resources
    • DESE Rubric: School Librarians
    • Certification & Licensure
    • Program Standards & Rubrics
    • Job Description: School Librarian
    • Job Listings
    • Literature Resources
    • ELL for School Librarians
    • Independent Schools
    • Vocational Technical Schools
    • MLS Strategic Planning
    • Intellectual Freedom
  • Forum Newsletter
    • 2018 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2018
      • May 2018
      • October 2018
    • 2017 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2017
      • May 2017
      • September 2017
      • October 2017
    • 2016 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2016
      • May 2016
      • October 2016
    • 2015 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • April 2015
      • November 2015
    • MSLA Forum 2002-2013
  • Advocacy
    • MA School Library Study
    • MA School Library Study Research Project
    • MSLA Advocacy Priorities
    • Current Legislation
    • Library Legislative Day
    • Library Legislative Breakfasts
    • ESSA
    • Exemplary Programs
  • Bookmark Contest
    • 2018 Winners
    • 2016-17 Winners
    • 2012-15 Winners
    • 2009-11 Winners
    • 2004-08 Winners
    • Bookmark Judges
  • Awards
    • Archive: History of Awardees
    • 2018 Awards Pics
    • 2017 Awards Pics
    • 2016 Awards Pics
    • 2015 Awards Pics

Visiting the Peabody Institute Creativity Lab

2/12/2016

1 Comment

 
Ellen Brandt is a librarian at the Blanchard Middle School in Westford, MA
On Saturday, November 7th, a group of school librarians visited the Creativity Lab at the Peabody Institute. (Thank you to Cathy Collins - MassCUE Makerspace SIG co-leader- for organizing this field trip!)
Picture
Michael Ahearn, the Programming Librarian for the Creativity Lab, was our guide. He has been involved with the project since the beginning and is perfect for the job; he spent his own teen years as an active patron of the Peabody Institute and he majored in “Computer Science” and “Comparative Media Studies” in college.

The Peabody Institute announced the opening of its Creativity Lab in the Summer of 2013.
The Lab has been open for business since early 2014. (The teen recording studio was made possible through an earlier grant)
Picture
The Creativity Lab was developed largely through the work of community volunteers, divided into smaller groups, each with a specific focus (e.g. physical space, materials, donations, Short Term Action Team, etc). The teams figured out details such as what model 3D printers to buy, what equipment to offer, programming and logistics such as scheduling, training, safety.

Their useful list of materials is available online for aspiring maker space creators: http://www.peabodylibrary.org/creativitylab/tools.html


Picture
The current programs are based on practical and high interest focus areas, as well as on growing areas of expertise of Mike and the teen librarian, but programming continues to grow and expand. They are working on additional collaborations with other community organizations (theater: set design, artist workshops, science fairs).

Picture
The Creativity Lab offers two main types of experiences: Open Lab and Workshops.
Closed lab space options also occur when community groups book time in the Creativity Lab.
Anyone is welcome in the lab, but all participants must register and sign a waiver.
Patrons must complete training before using certain machines.
Labels are used to specify age requirements on some tools and equipment (e.g., yellow = must be at least 9 years old, red = must be at least 16 years old).

Picture
The Lab also has a wood shop area, but, in order to limit sawdust, it is mostly hand tools. They are thinking about converting their outdoor cage area into a (fair weather) power tool area.
Picture
To help with operating expenses, they welcome donations of funds, tools and materials.
Picture
The vast majority of the sewing machines and all the fabrics and sewing materials were donated by patrons.
Picture
They repurposed an old card catalog to organize sewing supplies.

Picture
Jezebel, the mannequin, keeps an eye on the lab.
Picture
1 Comment
Cathy Collins
2/15/2016 11:07:39 am

It was an inspiring and fun day! We have another field trip scheduled for mid-March to Dartmouth Middle School. Stay tuned for more info!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Forum Newsletter

    Co-Editors
    Katherine Steiger
    Reba Tierney

    Katherine and Reba are Librarians at Newton South High School and Waltham High School, respectively.

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Academic
    Advocacy
    ALA
    Authors
    Book Trailers
    Censorship
    Column
    Conference
    Culture
    Databases
    Dewey
    Digital Citizenship
    E Books
    E-books
    Elementary
    ESSA
    Ethics
    Evaluation
    Inquiry
    Leadership
    Learning Commons
    Legislation
    Literacy
    Maker Space
    Nonfiction
    Orientation
    Planning
    PLN
    President's Remarks
    Professional Development
    Reading
    Science
    Secondary
    Standards
    Technology
    Union
    Volunteers
    Weeding

    Archives

    February 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015

    MSLA Forum Past Issues:
    January 2015
    April 2015
    ​
    2002-2015 MSLA Forum

    RSS Feed

The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Contact MSLA:
Executive Director Kathy Lowe
Massachusetts School Library Association
P.O Box 658 Lunenburg, MA 01462
klowe@maschoolibraries.org

Copyright ® 2018-2019 Massachusetts School Library Association       All Rights Reserved.