The Libraries’ Makerspace is the most restless place on campus

The Hill Library bustles all day into evening with students meeting and studying, but it quiets down late at night. Except, that is, for the Makerspace. Walk past the glass wall of the Makerspace in the wee hours, and all the 3D printers are diligently churning out projects for students to pick up the following day. Molecule models for biology class, architectural renderings for College of Design students, Memorial Belltower miniatures for gifts—you will glimpse every discipline at NC State in the projects produced by these restless machines. 

The Libraries’ Makerspace program marks a decade of operation this year with fully operational spaces in both main libraries for the first time—the well-established Makerspace at Hill and the new Maker Studio at Hunt. Students take a quick orientation course to get access to 3D printers, low-fidelity electronics, sewing machines, a laser cutter, and more. Staff are available in both spaces for drop-in consultation assistance.

To be true, the program started over a decade ago with a staff-run service point in the just-opened Hunt Library in 2013. But the program expanded when the Hill Library's Makerspace opened to faculty and student use for the first time in June 2015. The original Hunt service point closed in 2020, but the new Maker Studio opened in spring 2025, as the Hill Library closed for the summer during infrastructure repairs. 

This fall, both spaces are up and running strong. From January through August this year, the spaces have output 3690 documented 3D prints. No wonder those machines run all night.

But the Libraries’ Makerspace program is more than rooms full of machines. These are learning spaces for students and faculty to present their instruction and work in new ways, to explore innovative and crazy ideas and to learn hands-on skills that give students a leg up entering the job market after graduation. The Libraries’ expert staff doesn’t just show you how to use a sewing machine. They consult with students to develop and realize their research projects, and they teach dozens of free workshops each semester. They collaborate with faculty to develop curriculum that leverages the maker resources in the Libraries to power up their pedagogy.

The Makerspace program has expanded into an essential partner in the annual, campus-wide Make-A-Thon event as well as the award-winning Making Space event series, which brings a wide variety of scientists and entrepreneurs to deliver public talks about their STEM journeys. And the Makerspaces have gathered other Libraries spaces—such as the Innovation Studio, the Gaming and VR Studio and the Digital Media Lab—into The Studios to offer an even wider range of experiential learning services and expertise.

Making from the beginning
Adam Rogers, Learning Innovation Librarian, remembers his enthusiasm about a little space on the fourth floor on the Hunt Library’s opening day.

“Before the opening of the Hunt Library in 2013, we began to get excited about tools that were becoming more available for digitally enhanced making, including the electronics prototyping platforms of Arduino and Raspberry Pi, laser cutters and, most of all, 3D printers and 3D scanners,” Rogers says. “We thought these tools would open up possibilities for a wide array of NC State students—indeed, some were already using them in disciplinary labs on campus. We wanted to provide access to these tools, along with peer support and a program of workshops—and we thought this would be a great addition to the new Hunt Library’s focus on emerging technologies, innovation and imagining the future of libraries.”

“The most important lesson we have learned is that a Makerspace’s most important assets are its people...”

– Adam Rogers

Rogers has helped steer the development of the Makerspace program from its inception and through the opening of the Hill Library space in 2015, working with other Libraries staff to iteratively hone the program and its services to best meet student and faculty needs, while being curious about new opportunities.

“The most important lesson we have learned is that a Makerspace’s most important assets are its people—the technical expertise of our student workers and their problem-solving capacity, the creative program development and community-building of our graduate assistants and the strong leadership and direction of our library staff,” he says. “Further, the Makerspace has been enriched and transformed through collaboration with creative educators from across the university—from the humanities, sciences, design, textiles, engineering and more.”

Rogers has seen the evolution of makerspaces around campus and has positioned the Libraries program to complement spaces in the Colleges while providing unique services and tools. Free access to tools and materials is one thing; it’s the Libraries’ support for personal projects as well as academic and entrepreneurial work, and expertise in helping students develop new literacies of making, that sets the Libraries’ program apart.

“I have been most inspired by our student workers, who have brought their creative passions and love of making to make the most of the Makerspace’s array of tools and materials, and to share that knowledge and passion with their fellow students,” Rogers says. “It’s been particularly satisfying to see them develop expertise and gain experience that has helped them go on to successful careers in industry, academia and even prestigious places like NASA and Nike.”

“I believe everyone is a maker. My role is to help demystify making and to open people’s eyes to the idea that creating belongs to all of us.”

– Justin Haynes

Looking back on a decade
Today, Makerspace Librarian Justin Haynes runs the program with a team including Colin Nickels, Lead Librarian for Experiential Learning Services; Aryn Baker, University Library Specialist; Colin Keenan, Experiential Learning Services Librarian; and Gabriel Graña, Digital Media Librarian. For Haynes—who started at the Makerspace 10 years ago as a graduate student employee, became the day-to-day manager and now has the role of steering the whole program—the Makerspace hasn’t been a mere job managing a facility. It’s a consuming passion for opening new possibilities for every student at NC State.

“Over and over I meet students who tell me they are not makers. I see it differently,” Haynes says. “I believe everyone is a maker. My role is to help demystify making and to open people’s eyes to the idea that creating belongs to all of us.”

“Some people find making to be a welcome escape from the stress of daily life. Others use it as a form of communicating and sharing with others when words can be difficult or not enough. Some use it to test out business ideas and entrepreneurial visions. Others simply feel the pride and joy in holding something they created. Watching people discover that in themselves, sometimes for the very first time, this is what keeps me going every day.”

Haynes and the Makerspace team have learned the ebbs and flows of the Makerspace throughout the school year. The starts of semesters are for orientations, and then usage ramps up—one week in April this year there were over 800 uses of the Makerspace. Last school year they worked with faculty to host 32 class-based instruction sessions, taught 18 skill-based workshops, and participated in or led 30 events, some of the most popular of which included “Getting Started with Hand Sewing,” Femme Making Nights, and anything to do with the button makers. 

Haynes is constantly amazed at the variety of work that happens before his eyes each day. “I have seen 3D-printed helmets, hand-carved puppets, knitted socks, self-made dresses and jackets, stickers for clubs, buttons for birthdays, laser-cut jewelry—the list goes on and on,” he says. “I also want to add that I have seen the Makerspace itself make some incredible things. People have grown attached to the space, and I think that is the incredible part of a space like this. It forges a lasting impression on people.”

One of those people is the Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media Graduate Extension Assistant for the Libraries Makerspace program. Current student Abby (Bee) Rinaldi, the sixth CRDM GEA over the past decade, develops workshops, hosts programs and events and facilitates course collaborations—in addition to bringing their own personal passion and expertise to the role.

“Each of the past GEAs is unique and so are their interests and ideas,” Haynes says. “Bee is great and has proven that they have a deep knowledge of the Libraries already and are eager to get started making their mark. At the end of the day though, having a student who is assisting in both talking to faculty and staffing the Makerspace is a valuable asset.”

An inspiration machine
If Haynes and the Makerspace team help students find the path to being a maker, the Making Space event series introduces them to dynamic scientists and entrepreneurs who have taken strides down that path and made it their careers. Since its creation in 2015, Making Space has brought over 50 speakers to the Libraries to deliver public talks about their STEM journey and, often, to conduct hands-on workshops with students. 

The event series aims to highlight pathways to success in the STEM fields by presenting the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented groups in science and technology, including people of all identities and abilities. The series seeks to inspire all members of the NC State community to explore a variety of disciplines and emerging tools, develop new skills and be creative with technology.

“Making Space allows us to bring in speakers that students wouldn't usually get a chance to hear from,” says Lara Fountaine, Community Engagement Librarian. “It allows students to hear from people with vastly different careers and life paths. Why is this important to have at NC State? Because it introduces students to non-traditional career paths—and it's also very inspiring.”

Dr. Celia Hodent of Epic Games was the first Making Space speaker in February 2016. Alyssa Space, founder and CEO of ForHerCosmetics, led a hands-on workshop to make vegan lipstick in the WISE village using pipettes and other lab equipment. NC State alumnae Helena Price talked about how she became “Silicon Valley’s most wanted photographer” and gave a lesson on turning one’s favorite personal activities into a business. Fellow alumnae Jazsalyn McNeil discussed her journey from College of Textiles student to a dual career as a model and designer—her psychedelic collection, K^2, debuted at Charleston Fashion Week. Gamer and creator Amira Virgil (Xmiramira) told the story of leaving her full-time job to pursue streaming as a career and how she created the Melanin Pack, which expanded skin tone options for game characters and in The Sims.

Student comments gathered after the events show the impact of the series. "This was such a powerful example of not only overcoming barriers in STEM fields but also a fabulous story of successful entrepreneurship within underrepresented groups. I imagine this was extremely encouraging for many students,” one student noted after Space’s visit. After Matt Kenney, a researcher, developer and designer from Duke University, spoke about issues around creativity and AI, another student noted, “I don’t think I really thought about AI being an ethical dilemma [and how it] can affect the community.”

The Making Space event series was recently awarded one of the inaugural grants from the Wolfpack Women in Philanthropy (WWiP) Impact Fund, which supports initiatives that empower women and enhance the university experience for everyone in the campus community. The $10,000 WWiP grant will help underwrite honoraria and travel and lodging expenses for program speakers, most of whom are from out of town.

Libraries Director of Community Engagement Marian Fragola was a part of the Libraries team that founded Making Space. She has seen the series grow from an idea in a meeting to this hugely impactful series for students.

One of Fragola’s personal highlights was an adaptive toy workshop where students learned how to make toys accessible for kids with disabilities. The toys made in the workshop were then donated to UNC Children's Hospital. Some of the students who participated in the workshop had never been in the Libraries’ Makerspace and had never used tools like a soldering iron. Participants also learned about the "disability tax"—how adaptive toys and utensils are more expensive for users.

“Because the group who plans Making Space is flexible and the members of the team change, we are able to incorporate a wide variety of interests—everything from video games, to electronic textiles, to podcasting and DJing, to board game design, to coding and GIS, to biofabrication, chemistry and math. There is something that appeals to just about anyone,” Fragola says.

From idea to solution in 48 hours
Students take steps toward those entrepreneurial careers at the Make-A-Thon, NC State’s annual sustainability competition. For the last decade, the Libraries has partnered with the Albright Entrepreneurship Garage and NC State’s Department of Sustainability to host the fast-paced, competitive event. Originally hosted in Libraries' spaces, including the Makerspace, the event has now moved to the Garage.

This spring, 50 student teams representing eleven academic colleges spent a sleep-deprived weekend frantically collaborating in cross-disciplinary teams to design, prototype and pitch what they hoped would be judged the best sustainability solution. Teams used the Garage’s specialized tools and equipment and worked with mentors who made suggestions and provided industry expertise. After planning and building a presentation and model, teams pitched their ideas to campus and industry judges to win cash prizes totaling $9,000.

The underlying principle of the Make-A-Thon isn’t so much to create a viable product or solution as it is to foster creative collaboration. Teams of four students must represent at least two Colleges and usually combine students from three. Haynes sees this alchemy as the Make-A-Thon’s secret sauce.

“Some students don't visualize the same way if you're in a major that hasn’t done a whole lot of 3D work or prototyping work. It might be a little harder for you to spell out what your concept is,” Haynes says. “So before we jump into 3D printing and laser cutting and all of those tools, let's take a step back. We have Play-Doh and we have hot glue and popsicle sticks and scratch paper so teams can sit there and kind of flush those ideas out with a teammate who’s a little more technically skilled than they are.”

Sometimes the Make-A-Thon projects are even about the Makerspace itself. Catherine Kirch was part of a 2024 team that pitched a project to recycle the leftover plastic filament from 3D printers. Their project has now become an active 3D printer filament recycling program that collects and repurposes filament waste throughout campus. 

Kirch, an undergraduate researcher in the forest biomaterials department who is majoring in Sustainable Materials and Technology, worked with SMT graduate Bella McInnes and Political Science graduate Eli Norman on the project. But their project didn’t start out being about 3D printer filament.

“At first it was recycling polypropylene coffee cups into filament, and we ended up connecting with Justin Haynes and going through the whole Make-A-Thon process,” Kirch recalls. “Then we decided we wanted to follow through with it, and Justin and the Libraries were very engaged in that and willing to work with us.”

Kirch appreciates how the process helped form the team’s idea. “It just started as a small idea—hey, we could recycle this. I think the Make-A-Thon was a really good environment for generating that creative problem-solving mindset and really thinking about what could be. Bella and I were both pretty passionate about on-campus sustainability and not just thinking of any possible solution, but something that was actually viable for our campus and that could be implemented to make a difference.”

Printer filament just looks like a spool of colorful plastic thread. It’s fed into a 3D printer, molten down, and deposited into a programmed form. But there’s always a leftover portion at the end of a spool that’s too little for a new project. This had simply been thrown away, but now there are recycling bins in the Makerspace for these ends. Kirch has developed a process to melt this material down and produce new, full spools of filament.

After the Make-A-Thon, Kirch had a follow-through meeting with Haynes, and now works closely with Aryn Baker, University Library Specialist. “Aryn wrote a letter of recommendation for our Sustainability Fund grant and she sends me boxes of material to recycle all the time. We wouldn't have a project without the Libraries Makerspace. It's been really nice how interested they were initially and how they've been engaged since and really want this project to happen too.”

“Putting students in positions where they're working with a communications person and they're working with an engineering student and they're working with a student from Natural Resources, and they themselves might be a textile student—that's how the real world works,” Haynes says. “Being able to get a little snippet of that collaborative practice, even if it's just for that weekend, is kind of a huge cornerstone of what we do.”

From Make-a-Thon to Hackathon
While the dozens of Make-a-Thon teams like Kirch’s use physical materials like gluestick and 3D prints to prototype sustainability projects, the competitors at the annual MIT Reality Hack—an experiential technology hackathon designed to educate, empower, and enable participants to explore the XR industry—funnel that same Makerspace spirit into the creation of technology experiences beyond tangible technology objects.

While Experiential Learning Services Librarian Colin Keenan has represented the Libraries at this event for years, his journey to the MIT Reality Hack began with a fascination for innovation. As a Pentair Fellow at the Libraries during his graduate studies, Keenan leveraged the Libraries’ 3D scanning capabilities to scan seeds, bringing NC State’s on-campus Herbarium to life as a virtual seed library. The work demonstrated a passion for combining experiential learning and emerging research technologies to solve real-world problems. 

Experiential learning has become a core value of the Libraries, and Keenan’s passion and expertise for it led him to join the Libraries staff after his graduate work. The MIT Reality Hack is a lot like the Make-a-Thon—fast-paced, high-stakes situations where innovation is required to solve problems in real-time. It lasts five days, providing workshops and mentors for participants and attracting creators, artists, students, and tech enthusiasts of all skill levels from around the world. Ultimately, the goal of the event is to equip and inspire attendees to shape the future of experiential technology. 

In the four recent Reality Hacks, Keenan has worked with a variety of teams, each with a different set of skills and ambitions. In the past, he has been on teams that have been very serious in pursuing the grand prize, which even led one team to work through the night, with members taking shifts sleeping. At his most recent Hack, however, Keenan decided to seek out teammates with a shared interest in hardware, fabrication and design. 

With this mindset, Keenan and his team set out to create a project that highlighted their shared passions. “We were okay with not competing for grand prizes and instead being self-contained and focusing on education,” Keenan says. “We built something that we called The Wedge, which is an accessibility- and ergonomics-minded controller for virtual environments.” 

The Wedge reimagines how users interact with XR software. As he and his teammates saw it, current game controllers often lock users into “walled gardens,” limiting their creative freedom as well as a virtual environment’s overall accessibility. In addition, Keenan pointed out that his team wanted to focus on open-source technologies, inclusivity and adaptability. “Ideologically, open source is highly in line with the things that made me want to make stuff,” Keenan says. “It’s the way we go about our work at the Libraries and, as librarians, across our profession.”

Open-source software, which can be freely accessed and adapted by anyone, plays a major role in the Reality Hack, as participants collaborate to develop freely available projects for others to build upon. Accessibility-driven projects, like The Wedge, can be adapted, improved upon and shared with the broader tech community. 

The Libraries has long facilitated open-source resources. For example, Keenan led the Libraries’ Visualization Services team in creating the Visualization Spaces Development Kit (VisSDK), a package built in Unity that enables faculty, staff and students to design immersive, AI-powered experiences and to experiment with machine learning and spatial computing without needing proprietary tools or costly platforms.

“Ideologically, open source is highly in line with the things that made me want to make stuff. It’s the way we go about our work at the Libraries and, as librarians, across our profession.”

– Colin Keenan

At the MIT Reality Hack, Keenan has been able to swap these kinds of ideas with like-minded innovators, as well as high-profile players in the tech world—industry leaders like Meta, Apple, and NVIDIA—and bring fresh ideas back to NC State so that the Libraries can continue to provide our users with exciting open-source tools and resources in spaces like those of The Studios, where experimentation thrives.

Making the future at the Libraries
Ten years and so many twists and turns—the Makerspace program has constantly reinvented itself and will continue to do so. Haynes and the Libraries are as restless as the 3D printers behind the Makerspace glass.

“To my mind, the program still has a great deal of potential,” Haynes says. He sees the reestablishment of the Maker Studio at Hunt as a great step towards fulfilling the Libraries’ original vision on Centennial Campus. After duplicating a lot of the tools and services from Hill's Makerspace in the Maker Studio, Haynes’ team also altered the way they support the media rooms at Hunt, tying another Studios service into this new model.

“We are also actively asking students what they want to see in a makerspace and what the next version of our spaces should look like,” Haynes says, bringing the idea of making back to the people he has a passion to connect with. “Obviously, we want to continue to grow to serve more students, so we are working on ways to do that outside of the confines of the spaces themselves.” 

“What unites all of these experiences is the sense of possibility. Making reminds us that we can shape the world around us, whether in small ways or big ones. The reasons we make are not the same, but the title of maker applies to us all.”