Library makerspaces have been popular for years but not all libraries have space for the equipment. During the pandemic, we closed a small conference room to the public, repurposing it as a makerspace, with plans to provide hi-tech equipment and programs for adults. However, our patrons didn’t want the latest technology and asked for lower tech arts and crafting equipment and instruction. Responding to this feedback meant providing more programming at a dramatically lower cost and welcoming a wider range of people.

Challenges included the need for flexibility in responding to patron feedback, procuring equipment and permissions, allocating and recruiting employees and volunteers, continuous training on equipment, and vetting class teachers. It became evident we were also going to need to limit class sizes, something that can cause conflict with patrons.

Tackling these issues led to better relationships among staff and volunteers and ignited a healthy community spirit.

Several key elements drive the POD’s success, tangibly and in creating an environment where people connect with one another as they learn new skills.

It’s important for staff to listen and respond to patron feedback, operating from a place of “yes.” The manager of the POD regularly meets with volunteers and has built healthy channels of communication with them. Offering a variety of programs is important in widening our audience.

All materials are free. Much is donated, which cuts costs enormously. Some of the equipment, including the sewing machines, have also been donated. Otherwise, the materials are paid for from the library supply budget or the Friends, who consistently offer funding as well as volunteer support (a Friends board member taught the watercolor class!).

Avoiding cliquishness is important. We are clear that no expertise is required to attend and maintain the goal of providing a space where adults can learn or just come to find community.

Attendance continues to grow, and participants learn about other adult programs and promote and attend them. The volunteers actively recruit others to staff the space and teach classes. Library staff better understand the implications of the loneliness epidemic, why the Surgeon General has made addressing it a priority, and the responsibility we bear to answer. The growth of the POD and what it means to the community highlights how we can play a part in remedying society’s ills. Seeing these benefits, staff have become more open to hearing patron feedback.

The diversity of the POD users continues to expand. Teenagers mix with older adults, and people of various races, ethnicities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds work side-by-side with the common goal of learning new arts, crafts, and technologies. As conversations flow, walls come down and relationships flourish. In the immediate, people get a respite from being alone, but long-term, as community is built, there is healing.