Innovation and Experiential Learning in Academic Libraries: Meeting the Needs of Today’s Students

The newest installment in the “Innovations in Information Literacy” series brings a diverse perspective to the topic. Librarians and editors Nagle (Miami Univ. Lib.) and Tzoc (Clemson Lib., Clemson Univ.) have gathered a well-rounded collection of work centered on “empower[ing] discovery, creation, and success” through experiential learning programs. The book is primarily focused on 3D printing and scanning but also features chapters on zines, undergraduate research labs, and collider spaces. What makes this volume unique is the inclusion of many perspectives from outside librarianship: authors come from the fields of computer science, digital scholarship, art, and instructional design. This makes for an intriguing, refreshing read. The book is organized into three sections: “Innovation and Leadership,” “Examples and Case Studies,” and “Future Literacy Developments.” The final section is focused on “maker-centered” learning and contains some interesting ideas, such as the “maker mindset, which includes personal empowerment, failure positivity, and critical thinking,” and pushing the boundaries of library technology by embracing AI. In her chapter “Maker Literacy, Metaliteracy, and the ACRL Framework,” Nagle maps maker literacies to the ACRL Framework, which many librarians will find useful.