MākMō: Mobile Makerspaces and STEAM Workshops

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

LA County Library's MākMō maker mobiles are makerspaces on wheels. These four colorful vans travel throughout Los Angeles County, bringing creative, hands-on programming to libraries and local communities. MākMōs offer both high and low-tech learning activities—like computer coding, robotics, and more—to spark interest in STEAM, while building 21st century workforce skills. Intended primarily for kids and teens, but also serving adults, MākMōs promote making, learning, collaborating, and exploring. Often, makerspaces are built into buildings, but with 87 locations in its system, with unique sizes, capacities, and ages, LA County Library had to think outside-the-box. Due to budget constraints, a large service area, and the desire to serve communities outside library walls, the Library came up with an innovative way to store activities in vans, which can pop-up wherever they are needed. By making its maker spaces mobile, the Library is able to visit remote areas not otherwise served by Library system. First implemented in 2016 in order to meet community demand for expanded maker and STEAM learning opportunities, the MākMōs have since offered 388 library programs and 123 community outreach programs, reaching a total audience of almost 38,000, with a large expansion and County partnership coming soon.