What is a Makerspace?

“A makerspace is a collaborative workspace inside a school, library or separate public/private facility for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools.”

Makerspaces.com. 2022. What is a Makerspace? [Online]. [04/03/2024]. Available from: https://www.makerspaces.com/what-is-a-makerspace/

Located in the Edward Boyle is the libraries’ very own Makerspace where you can learn new skills and spend time working on projects either for your assignments or just for fun! It is open to both staff and students and following an induction with the Makerspace expert, Andy, you can make use of sewing machines, laser cutters and even 3D printers.  

What is a Repair Cafe?

The Repair Cafe is a monthly drop-in at the Makerspace where skilled volunteers teach you how to mend your damaged or broken items including clothing and electronics.  Learning how to repair your items not only reduces the amount in landfill and the pressure on manufacturing, but will also save you money on buying replacements!  

“Andy and the Repair Cafe team are Fantastic”

Sustainability Services

In February, the usual Repair Cafe was replaced by a collaborative session with the charity Scope where Repair Cafe volunteers mended and upcycled charity donations to give them a new lease of life. Another session with Scope will be running on 11th March alongside a pop-up shop at Union Square on the 20th March selling second-hand and vintage clothing as well as items from the Repair Cafe collaboration. You can see more information about this exciting event on the University of Leeds Sustainability website.  

With World Recycling Day coming up on 18th March, the Skills@Library Team headed over to the Makerspace to see what the Repair Cafe is all about.  

“All of the tools and resources required are already here and it provides a space for lots of different people to engage with sustainability”

Sustainability Services

Whilst at the Repair Cafe, we spoke to someone from Sustainability Services who had brought a skirt which needed the zip repairing. Having been to the Repair Cafe before as part of their job role, this was their first time bringing something along that needed fixing. They told us “It is really nice to come here and see familiar faces of people who volunteer a lot”. We found it a great way for people with existing knowledge to share their talents with others whilst promoting a circular economy.

We also spoke to the team behind the Repair Cafe to gain more of an understanding of how it works. Originally set up in November to encourage sustainability around resources, it has really taken off, with queues forming at the sewing machines as eager students waited in line to mend their clothes. Whilst some people come along to learn how to repair, others with prior skills and knowledge come along and carry out the repairs themselves, making use of the many tools and resources that the Makerspace has to offer.

Having only hosted 3 sessions, the Repair Cafe has already had 29 volunteers, made 62 fixes and secured a collaborative project with Scope. As word continues to spread, make sure you give it a visit to learn new skills and unleash your creativity!

-Holly Stephenson

Skills@Library