The library hosted two pop-up makerspaces for students to create personalized buttons. “Makerspaces” are a new trend in libraries, offering space, equipment, and materials for people to gather and create, invent and learn new things in a tactile, do-it-yourself fashion.

“Pop-up makerspaces are fast and temporary activities meant to generate excitement and spur creativity,” said Teresa MacGregor, director of the CMU-Q Library.

The button-making sessions were hosted by Jill Chisnell, an IDeATe librarian visiting from CMU main campus, and facilitated by library student assistants Sabal Subedi and Sirat Farhin. The sessions were held over the lunch break on October 11 and October 19. More than 100 students participated in each of the sessions.

The library plans to host more pop-up makerspaces throughout the academic year.