The Studio is a makerspace in the library that debuted in June 2021 as part of a building-wide renovation. Two years after launch, the Studio had grown to see such persistent and regular use with its drop-in service model that it was no longer conducive to facilitate formal instructional workshops—there was not space in the room for both workshops and regular drop-in use. Rather than removing equipment to host workshops outside of the Studio, which would limit drop-in patrons’ equipment access, staff piloted the Design Swap and Showcase events in the space itself to both support skill exploration and connect patrons with shared interests around making and shared aspects of personal identities. We connected our efforts to our calendar of community priorities as a guide for monthly themes to strengthen awareness of the event while supporting community interests.

Design Swap and Showcase events have dedicated display areas in the Studio to garner interest and increase awareness leading up to a scheduled event. The supervisor identifies themes, and the Studio team seeds the display area and encourages patrons to contribute their designs and engage in the “swap” component. Staff recently started providing pre-made designs on thumb drives, allowing patrons who are inspired to more readily access designs they can either create as-is or modify to their preferences.

During the event, a Studio staff member facilitates discussion around the display and encourages attendees to participate in making using provided materials and resources. Design Swap and Showcase events are a positive pathway for those who are newer to making, particularly with pre-made designs available and a supportive environment for borrowing designs made by others. Display items from previous events are distributed at community events to promote awareness of the Studio.

Over the last year, staff have reported increased participation from patrons attending the Design Swap and Showcase events, with a noticeable increase in patrons swapping designs with one another. As we have continued to iterate on this event concept, we have intentionally increased inclusivity and accessibility by incorporating pre-loaded designs. We have also observed that by incorporating these designs as both permanent display objects and as community giveaways, we have increased awareness of services in the Studio. We love how often we hear a delighted and awed patron say, “I can make that at the library?”