Earlier this month, we covered the Fayetteville Free Library's new Fab Lab, the public library's plans to build a makerspace where library patrons could gain hands-on experience using 3D printers and other tools and could take programming and shop classes.
It's part of a larger movement to rethink and re-imagine what a public library will look like and what functions it will serve. While many people do see libraries solely as book repositories, it's clear that the library is much more than that. For many, it's an important community center and a place that offers access to digital tools and media.
A new competition sponsored by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has just announced 12 winning libraries and museums that will receive $1.2 million in grant money help push the boundaries of what theseinstitutions look like, specifically helping to create facilities that are better learning labs for teens.