The university of illinois chicago will research the need for public libraries to evaluate adult making activities and use the findings to improve library services by better leveraging new and…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the University of Illinois at Chicago $1.412 million on September 1, 2026, under the National Leadership Grants program (CFDA 45.312) to research how public libraries evaluate adult making activities and develop tools to improve library services through makerspace technology.

The University of Illinois will produce a toolkit enabling public libraries to assess whether making activities support adult makers in meeting individual goals, identify and reduce barriers to engagement, and evaluate participation. The project will deliver nationwide training for libraries on toolkit implementation and generate documentation of adult making outcomes and engagement across the United States, with dissemination to practitioner and scholarly audiences.

The award runs through August 31, 2029, with place of performance in Chicago, Illinois. National Leadership Grants support projects addressing critical needs in the museum and library fields with potential to advance professional practice through widely adoptable models, tools, research findings, and practices that extend the benefits of federal investment.

The university of illinois chicago will research the need for public libraries to evaluate adult making activities and use the findings to improve library services by better leveraging new and emerging makerspace technologies to address the public's information and education needs. Project results will include a toolkit to help public libraries to assess the extent to which making activities support adult makers in meeting their individual goals, identify and reduce barriers to engagement, and evaluate participation. The project will also provide nationwide training for libraries on using the toolkit and produce documentation of adult making outcomes and engagement across the U.S., along with dissemination to both practitioner and scholarly audiences.