Tinker Lab: An Un-Conference Pop-Up Makerspace

Introduction

Last month, I went to an "un-conference" -- a professional conference that defies the conventions of typical conferences -- called The Collective in Knoxville, Tennessee. Focused on the unique ways academic libraries can engage in their jobs in a new and creative fashion, The Collective featured many of the cutting-edge topics and trends that are igniting librarianship. One of the conference's most memorable features was its pop-up makerspace, which was aptly named the Tinker Lab. I decided to tour the Tinker Lab and the following photographs represent the trajectory of that tour.

Overview

The sign that greeted me upon walking into the Crystal Room, a subsection of the Grand Pavilion Ballroom at the Holiday Inn in Downtown Knoxville. The Tinker Lab was divided into multiple stations and demos that scattered the room.

I visited the Tinker Lab over the course of two days at The Collective, so a few of the photos displaying an overview of the space may be different due to the shift in demos and stations. For example, a VR demo is occurring in the corner instead of the video-making demo that happened the day before.

The right hand side of the room, featuring the Coloring Station and the Chibitronics/Little Bits station located further in the background.

The left hand side of the room, featuring the Animation Station, among others.

A Virtual Reality Demo that occurred on Friday, March 3rd. A video-making demo had happened the day before.

Coloring

Located right by the Tinker Lab sign, the Coloring Station had multiple pages of a colornig book along with crayons and color pencils for passers-by to color with.

I hadn't played with crayons since elementary school, so I of course took full advantage of this opportunity!

As you can see, not a lot of people had contributed when I first started coloring, but I'm glad to have contributed my part!

Animation

I took a left turn after the Coloring Station and found the Animation station. It featured instructions on how to use animation for a digital project by using stop motion technology and basic cut-out shapes.

The full display of the animation setup.

Provided shapes that you can animate!

Rocketbook Wave

Next up was the Rocketbook Wave station, which had this notebook device where you can write things with different color pens and it can be saved to the Cloud.

Instructions indicating which symbols correlate to different cloud storage applications.

Despite how excited I was about this device, I never quite figured out whether it actually worked or was a prototype of an object that "could" or "will be" invented. The provided instructions did not relieve my confusion.

Polaroids

Right next to the Rocketbook Wave was the Polaroids Station! This happened to be one of my favorite stations, as it combined an old technology with our current digital devices. You simply take a photo with the provided iPad, submit the photo via the Instax app, and then watch it print on the Polaroid printer. Now my dream of decorating my room with a Polaroid Clothesline can come true!

Polaroid Supplies, including Fujifilm and double-sided Scotch tape.

More Polaroid Supplies, with color and pattern background paper.

The rest of the Polaroid supplies.

ISKN Slate

Right next to the Polaroid Station was the ISKN Slate station, which is a device that allows you to physically draw something on a piece of paper and a digital app at the same time. The alleged output is a digital product. Again, I found this device difficult to use and the provided instructions did not help with my troubleshooting.

The step-by-step instructions, which included pairing an app with the device. Despite my best efforts, I could not pair the app (which I dowloaded from the App Store and it took up a ton of space on my phone), and gave up after several frustrating minutes.

The remainder of the instructions, which are very brief.

The actual tablet you draw on for the ISKN Slate is located on the left side of this photo.

Idea Library

A few of the items on display at the Idea Library, a space smack dab in the middle of the Tinker Lab, right next to the ISKN Slate station. The items on the milk crate "shelves" have irregular items not typically circulated at libraries. The Idea Library is meant to display how librarians are rethinking what libraries can do.

A copy of Cards Against Humanity with a classic catalog card.

A number of different paper shapes and toys right next to the milk crates! Only featured on the first day of the Tinker Lab and was taken down by the second day.

"How to Make Videos that Don't Suck"

One of the featured demos on the first day of the Tinker Lab. This demo is based on a popular presentation at The Collective that is often sold out weeks in advance. Here, the presenter is setting up the camera and lighting for her demonstration.

Virtual Reality (Google Cardboard)

On the other side of the Tinker Lab is the Virtual Reality Station.  I didn't spend too much time at this one, but essentially it gave instructions on how to use Google Cardboard.

All of the equipment necessary to use Google Cardboard. 

Chibitronics

The Chibitronics station was located right next to the virtual reality station, and it gave instructions on how to use LED circuit stickers. It seemed like a very playful product that would be great with children, but I didn't show nearly as much interest as I did with Squishy Circuits. Play-Doh > Stickers.

The numerous amount of supplies at the Chibitronics station, including scissors, copper tape, and LED lights.

Little Bits

At the same table as the Chibitronics was the LittleBits station! Having heard a lot about these in class, I decided to linger at this station and create a circuit that did something. The instructions were surprisingly straightforward at this station and I connected a bunch of colored bits together to make a circuit that made a REALLY loud noise that drew some looks. I guess it wasn't THAT type of makerspace...

360 Cameras

Located in the center of the room was a display of 360 degree cameras. There was absolutely no explanation here and seemed to be a demo for something, but I wasn't sure. 

Each of these computers had videos with the camera at work.

I didn't stay too long at this station as I wasn't sure whether I could do anything with them...

The Black Box (a DIY Digitization Space)

A cool station that was located between Coloring and Animation was the Black Box station. Essentially, it paired black cardboard with high-powered lights to make a DIY digitization space that was easy and relatively cheap (compared to more expensive scanners). The written instructions made the station seem personal and accessible.

A full view of the Digitization Station!

Analysis

Overall, I found the Tinker Lab to be a very open and creative space to relax and explore during the conference. The chance to see cutting-edge (and classic) tools that are gaining steam in today's libraries was too enticing to resist! However, I think it also offers a cautionary tale for the existence of the pop-up makerspace. Too often I felt confused about a certain device or did not understand the instructions provided at each station. There weren't any full-time staff members dedicated to the space, reflecting the faults of an ephemeral makerspace, as collaboration and learning depends on who is there at the time. If what drives the success of a makerspace is the community that is present, rather than the tools, than the Tinker Lab is a poor representation of the full potential of a makerspace. I also found it bothersome that the layout of the Idea Library and the timing of the demos shifted depending on the day. This lack of consistency prevented me from becoming fully comfortable in the space, a quality which is essential for any makerspace (as any maker with a shed or a work station in the basement can tell you). Perhaps an effective pop-up makerspace is possible with better guidance and instruction, but can something truly be called a makerspace if it's meant to be ephemeral? Is a makerspace about exploring a new tool or sustaining an ongoing project? Are makerspaces considered deficient if they lack one of these aspects but contain the other? I believe these questions must be critically considered before a committee decides to adapt a makerspace and their creative tools to a conference environment.