On the Road Again, with a Low-Tech, Community, Mobile-Maker's Space

Abstract

This poster describes 2 academic librarians’ community service project, Needs for Beads (N4B) that began in 2015 as an idea to provide service to our community through bead and craft projects and workshops, in the Richmond, IN area. The initial plan was to serve local Non-Profit Organizations (NPO) and other groups of people in need of creative, hand-mind projects. Individuals in unexpected circumstances have many needs, and generally diverse funding, organizations, donations, and government agencies support and provide the necessities. But what about individual’s mental well-being? Stress significantly impacts health and well-being. A beading/craft project will not solve all problems, but it offers an experience of mind and hand interaction to set aside the seemingly insurmountable for a moment of peace. As the program has developed, it fits in with the concept of a low-tech, Mobile Makerspace. The craft projects are portable and may be created in a variety of physical spaces; it does require equipment and supplies.