Rockwood Makerspace at Multnomah County Library

Rockwood Library is a branch of Multnomah County Library in Oregon. In 2016, the library created a makerspace for teens with funding from two local sources, the Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission and The Library Foundation. Multnomah County Library developed the makerspace in order to address inequitable access to after-school STEAM opportunities in the area. Teens used the Rockwood Library branch, but there were few teen programs and no dedicated space for them. Today, the 1,000-square- foot space within the library provides access to technology, equipment, and software. Paid and volunteer mentors with diverse expertise support youth engagement in open-ended exploration, as well as provide classes on special topics.

Written by: William R. Penuel, Sari Widman, Amanda Wortman, Josephina Chang-Order, Melia Repko-Erwin, Michael Harris, Katie Van Horne.

The Capturing Connected Learning in Libraries (CCLL) project—a research and practice collaboration between the Connected Learning Lab, CU Boulder, SRI International, Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL), YALSA, and YOUmedia—enables libraries to better assess learning outcomes for their connected learning programs and spaces, and it boosts their ability to use evaluation data to improve their programs. It is focused on identifying challenges connected learning programs face and helpful ways of addressing those challenges. This project is generously funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.