Sunshine, Stories, & Compassionate Makerspaces

What is Sunshine & Stories?

Sunshine & Stories is a Colorado State Library podcast dedicated to all things public and school libraries. Our podcast aims to offer fresh insights, as well as spark creative and practical ideas for diverse public & school library settings. Whether you’re a veteran in the library world, a newbie looking for a little professional support, or someone who’s considering shaking things up in your library (a little or a lot), we hope this podcast will be a valuable resource for you. 

Ep. 205 Compassionate Makerspace Projects:

Episode Summary:

Suzi Tonini chats with Carin Barrett, Teacher Librarian at Berthoud High School, about implementing compassionate makerspace projects that connect students with their community through service. Learn how Carin’s students create items like fleece blankets, stuffed animals, birthday cards, and port pillows for organizations ranging from sex trafficking victim support groups to Meals on Wheels. Discover practical strategies for funding projects through Donors Choose, recruiting student volunteers, finding community partners, and balancing makerspace activities with everyday library responsibilities while building empathy and providing meaningful volunteer opportunities for students. (Full transcript available here.)  

00:00 – Introduction 
00:44 – Carin’s inspiration for compassionate making 
02:29 – Carin’s first compassionate makerspace project 
03:54 – Logistics: finding funding for materials and getting students involved   
09:53 – Strategies for learning about community needs/finding project ideas 
15:00 – Tips for getting started with compassionate making 
19:22 – Examples of student impact 

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Resources:

Compassionate Making Pinterest Board 

Donors Choose project examples: 
Don’t Just Make, Make for Good! 
Make More for Good! 
Cards From the Heart 
Serging Forward with Service 

Student Making that Makes a Difference, CCIRA presentation by Carin Barrett 

For more information or to talk about starting your own projects, please reach out to Carin Barrett, Teacher Librarian at Berthoud High School: [email protected] 

Colorado State Library projects like this one are funded in part by the Grants to States program administered by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily represent those of the Colorado State Library, Institute of Museum and Library Services, or the U.S. Government.