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6 – 8 March 2018 Muscat Maker-space: The New Trend of Academic Library Services Abstract This research focuses on investigating undergraduate students perception on developing a maker-space in the academic library. Maker-space is a term used to describe a physical space in the library, adopting a specific interest for its patrons in the goal of sharing knowledge, resources, and working on projects. Maker-space hosts different patrons that have different backgrounds who could help, and benefit each other academically, and socially. A survey of quantitative approach was used as tool to investigate the perception of the undergraduate students about having a maker-space. The sample was undergraduate students in Kuwait University. Findings of the questionnaire were conclusive, demonstrating acceptance of the idea, and the concept of makerspace. Results showed that participants would benefit of such space. Results proved that students need such a space in the academic library, helping them in learning process, and innovation as well, offering a common ground for their interests out of classrooms settings. Introduction World is changing, and libraries too, and as Moorefield-Lang (2015) stated, library services need to «evolve» with this change. Automation, and remote use caused a drawback for academic libraries in the past few years. Physical visits to the library are decreasing, costing the library its patrons, and perhaps its survival. In this competitive world, academic libraries are competing to attract patrons to use their services. This competing world is leading to especial focus on the patron as a customer that need to be satisfied. New services are emerging, and innovative means of offering online information resources are being created. All of these efforts are to Maker-space: The New Trend of Academic Library Services Fatma A M AL-Mousawi Dec 2017

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Page 1: Maker-space: The New Trend of Academic Library Services · Makerspace personnel competencies Competencies, and skills that are needed by professional librarians who are managing maker-spaces

6 – 8 March 2018 Muscat

Maker-space: The New Trend of Academic Library Services

Abstract This research focuses on investigating undergraduate students perception on developing a maker-space in the academic library. Maker-space is a term used to describe a physical space in the library, adopting a specific interest for its patrons in the goal of sharing knowledge, resources, and working on projects. Maker-space hosts different patrons that have different backgrounds who could help, and benefit each other academically, and socially. A survey of quantitative approach was used as tool to investigate the perception of the undergraduate students about having a maker-space. The sample was undergraduate students in Kuwait University. Findings of the questionnaire were conclusive, demonstrating acceptance of the idea, and the concept of makerspace. Results showed that participants would benefit of such space. Results proved that students need such a space in the academic library, helping them in learning process, and innovation as well, offering a common ground for their interests out of classrooms settings.

Introduction

World is changing, and libraries too, and as Moorefield-Lang (2015) stated, library services need to «evolve» with this change. Automation, and remote use caused a drawback for academic libraries in the past few years. Physical visits to the library are decreasing, costing the library its patrons, and perhaps its survival. In this competitive world, academic libraries are competing to attract patrons to use their services. This competing world is leading to especial focus on the patron as a customer that need to be satisfied. New services are emerging, and innovative means of offering online information resources are being created. All of these efforts are to

Maker-space: The New Trend of Academic Library Services

Fatma A M AL-MousawiDec 2017

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erensure the survival, and sustainability of the academic library. On the other hand, divers information resources, printed, or online are still needed, and used by students, and faculty members. New trends have appeared, focusing on the promotion of physical visits to the library, attracting the users, and promoting the library as an active place. One of those trends are maker-spaces. According to Hussain and Nisha (2017), maker-space is physical space in the library founded to allow information, knowledge, and experience sharing, and it hosting different people that have different backgrounds academically, and socially. This space is enabling its users to perform variety of activities, weather if they were technical, or theoretical. Hussain and Nisha also stated that maker-spaces has different names, and those names referred to what activity they are holding, for example, maker-space that is involving in computer interests, technology, and science is called hacker-space. Adrezin and Wilczynski (2016) mentioned that the start of the concept of maker-spaces was in 1998 in MIT class, under the name of fab-lab (fabrication lab). As Halverson, and Sheridan (2014) stated, today, the fab lab foundation is supporting the creation of any fab lab all over the world, which shows an international support. Books, and research papers started to evolve around this concept to study its effect, benefits, expenses, and what competencies needed for the professional librarians who supervise such spaces. Studies about students perceptions, satisfaction, also arose.

Maker-spaces are not popular, or well known in the middle east. There are rare if non research papers about maker-spaces in the rejoin. This research paper has a new orientation, studying students who are not aware of what maker-spaces mean. Undergraduate students in Kuwait University will be surveyed, investigating their perception about having a maker-spaces in academic libraries. The aim of the study is to present a proof that undergraduate student would benefit from having maker-spaces in the academic library. Results of the study can lead designated authorities in Kuwait University to the decision of nurturing the idea financially, and encourage the libraries to adopt this kind of spaces. This research may add the basis of researching about maker-spaces in the middle east, especially if they were implemented, and used.

Significance of this study

Different aspects, and themes have been studies, and looked into. This research is studying new side of maker-spaces. Undergraduate students who are not aware of the concept of maker-space are needed to provide their feedback in order to discover their perception about having a maker-space in the academic library. The proposed results of this study may be used as a proof to be offered to the officials in the university, which may

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from entities, or individual, which may help a lot in forming the area. Hynes and Hynes (2014) studied the appearance of maker-spaces, and its suitable physical design. The authors surveyed students about the image of the maker-spaces. The focus was on complexity, coherence, mystery, and legibility average of the physical design. The results provided initial insights into how students perception can form a preferred environment in order to help guide the physical design of maker-spaces.

Makerspace personnel competencies

Competencies, and skills that are needed by professional librarians who are managing maker-spaces are crucial points. Without having the right set of skills to operate the maker-space effectively, a librarian may be a cause of perishing the maker-space area. This was discussed by Abbas and Koh (2015). Authors applied two phase investigation, consisted of interviewing, and surveying librarian professionals that are working in maker-spaces with the goal of exploring their competencies, and to explore what is needed specifically for managing a maker-space area. According to the authors, the definition of competencies is « the skills, technical knowledge, and personal attributes that contribute to an individual›s success in practical position». Interviews resulted in suggested competencies, which are ability to learn, ability to adapt to changing situations, ability to collaborate, ability to advocate for maker-space, and the ability to serve divers people. In addition, interviews showed that librarians obtained skills from attending conferences, learning by doing the job, and self education weather if it is by reading a book, or online training. Needed skills that are concluded from the study were management, program development, grant writing, and fundraising, and technology literacy. There are suggestions for LIS programs to include those skills, preparing future professionals to operate maker-spaces effectively. Also, the study suggested that there is a need for a special list for the personnel competencies, and skills set for operating a maker-space. Similar to this study, Lang (2015) suggested that there is a need to come up with new set of skills, and knowledge for new services like maker-spaces based on the study that involved interviewing professional librarians who manage those areas. The results showed that all of them have different experience, and different level of skills.

Roll of Makerspace

Taylor, Hurly, and Connolly (2016) believed that an individual who have the right set of skills will be able to produce better, and cheaper solutions, compared with mass production figures, and this may be accomplished in maker-spaces. The authors wanted to know about role that a maker-space plays in a community, so they interviewed 15 different maker-spaces

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lead to the decision of creating a maker-spaces. On another hand, Quinn (2000), stated that in this world of competition, library have to offer more, be unique, and treat the students as customers. In order to attract customers, new services, and appealing entities have to be emerged, and established. A maker space can present this new service that can attract patrons back to the library, and serving their goals too, whether they were educational, or cultural. The study also can add to the body of knowledge of the profession. There are research questions that are needed to be answered, and they are as the following.

Research questions Research questions for this research paper are the following:• What is the perception of undergraduate students about having a makerspace in the academic library?• What is the difference between participants from different specializations (Humanities, and Social Sciences & Sciences, and Engineering) regarding the need and the use of makerspace?

Literature Review

This research focuses on knowing the perception of undergraduate students about having a maker-space within academic libraries› settings. Many studies investigated various aspects that involved maker-space concepts. Five themes aroused from the literature review. Guidelines, fees, and funding is the first aspect. Physical design of the space is the second aspect. Competencies, and set of skills that are needed for the librarians who manage a maker-space is the third. The role, and the impact of maker-space on students, librarians, and community is the forth. The fifth aspect is involving the factors that ensure continuous use of maker-space.

Makerspace settings

According to Crumpton (2015) there are considerations for successful maker-space, emphasizing on the need to have guidelines, and policies that protect maker-space users such as intellectual freedom, and privacy. It means to protect whatever is being produced, or innovated within the area. Also training before using maker-space is a proposed in a policy to ensure the sustainability of the area. If users are were well trained to use the space equipments effectively, equipments will last longer. He also encourage fees system when using expensive equipments like 3D printers, and a membership fee. Fees may represent revenue, which may help in the maintenance the area itself. Funding can be from various sources, but a budget, and expenses plan must be included. According to Fontichiaro (2016), in some maker-spaces, machines, and equipments are donated

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Sample

Population of this study is undergraduate students in Kuwait University, while the sample is undergraduate students from college of Social Sciences, and the college of Science, and Engineering. The sample of students who presented college of Life sciences, and Social Sciences were enrolled in foundation classes in the college of Social Sciences. The schedule of the foundation classes was taken from the secretary section of the departments in the college. Other students who were from Humanities specialization such as art students, and education, where selected randomly in the cafeteria of college of Social Sciences. Engineering, Computing sciences, Architecture, and science students, were selected randomly in the cafeteria of Al-Khaledia Campus of Kuwait University.

Data collection

The questionnaire consisted of two sections, demographics, and likert scaled statements. First section, contained four demographic questions about college, age, major, and gender. Second section of the questionnaire included 21 likert scaled questions. The second section was designed to collect data quantitatively.

The statements section needed the participants to answer questions involved three aspects, which are about: makerspace general perception, Makerspace benefits, and makerspace usage. Data collection took two weeks with a respond rate of 150 undergraduate students.

Data Analysis

The data collected were analyzed quantitatively, using SPSS software. Total number of agrees, and disagrees were compared to each other. Results were demonstrated by figures, and tables. Comparison between the results of (Science, and Engineering students), and (Humanities, and Social Sciences students) are considered.

Analyzing the survey focused on finding out a proof that indicates the need of maker-spaces to be implemented in academic libraries of Kuwait University. Also, it worked on answering the research questions

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eraround UK. Findings demonstrated the roles of maker-spaces, which are to act as social spaces, to support the wellbeing, to serve the needs of community, and to reduce out the excluded groups. In addition, the authors mentioned that there is a pressure, and serious demand to calculate the social return, and intangible benefits, in spite of the fact that it is hard to do so. Similar to this study, Morocz et al. (2016) emphasized on the role of the maker-spaces, specifically on engineering students. The authors surveyed Engineering students to find out the level of their involvement in maker-spaces, and to measure the design self-efficacy. Results showed that students who participated in maker-spaces are more motivated, and less anxious to perform engineering tasks. Galaleladin, Bouchard, Anis, and Lague (2016) also studied the impact of maker-spaces on Engineering. They interviewed the students, and the results upon the role of maker-spaces were positive. Maker-space affects the skills of communication, team work, problem solving, problem investigation, and design positively.Benefits, and level of awareness of maker-spaces have been studies by Hussain and Nisha (2017). The study involved online surveying library professionals. Results showed that high number of the sample that are using maker-spaces are perusing a masters degree. 68% of the sample surveyed used maker-spaces for academic research purposes. All most all of the surveyed participants appraised libraries› maker-spaces as beneficial. Burke (2015) stated that maker-spaces in academic libraries may provide learning skills, co-working ,and collaboration between peers, curriculum support, and the acceptance of the idea of sharing, and exchanging information.The fifth aspect of studying maker-spaces is the factors that ensure continuous using of the areas. Han et al. (2017) examined maker-spaces› sustainability by understanding factors, influencing their continuance. Results concluded that if technical, economic, and social support are found, or offered in a maker-space, user will continue to visit. This is resulting from the feelings of fulfillment of what is needed. Pointing an important note, Koole et al. (2017) found that in order to ensure the effectiveness, and continuity of visits to the maker spaces, an evaluation must be conducted so planning, and making changes can be performed. Another consideration for a maker space is diversity. A maker space must offer all kind of activities so it could attract all kind of personalities, and groups with no discromination (Noel, Murphy, and Jariwala 2016).

Methodology

The methodology of this research paper is a survey instrument of a quantitative approach that is investigating the perception of undergraduate students of Kuwait University about having a makerspace in the academic library. A questionnaire was used that was inspired, and withdrawn from questionnaires of Hynes and Hynes (2014), and Han et al. (2017). A copy of the questionnaire is in appendix (1).

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After analyzing the demographics section, Likert scaled statements were analyzed. Statements involved three sections. Statements 14- were about makerspace general perception. Statements 511- were about Makerspace benefits. Statements 1221- were about makerspace usage. Statements of the questionnaire were close ended, limited with five Likert scale options as the following, 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neutral, 4= agree, and 5=strongly agree.

Findings of (Makerspace general perception) section:Answers for the statements from 1 to 4, which are demonstrated in Table (2), showed that 87 participants agreed on liking the idea of makerspace, which equal to 58%. Most of the answers were agreeing, or neutral, which means that the nature of the makerspace is relatively accepted. There were 13 participants who didn’t like to make things, and two participants who strongly disagrees on the idea of the makerspace.

The mean of answers for statement «I like to make things. (Models, Forms, Applications, hand crafting ..etc )» is 3.40 with a standard deviation of 1.32, while the statement «I would like it if there is a place in library that

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erFindings

This section encounters a detailed presentation of the research study findings. A survey instrument of a quantitative approach was been conducted. A questionnaire has been distributed on 150 undergraduate students in the college of Social Sciences, Engineering and Sciences at Kuwait university. After two weeks of gathering data, an quantitative analysis was conducted by the assistance of SPSS software specialist.

Findings of the first section of the questionnaire, which is the demographic section are shown in Table (1). The 150 undergraduate students included 26 males (17.3%), and 124 females (82.7%) between the age of 18, and 30 years old. Most of the participant were between the age of 1824- years old (68%) figure (1). Colleges covered were Life sciences (.7%), Science (3.3%), Engineering (22%), Arts (2%), Computing sciences (.7%), Architecture (3.3%), Social sciences (64.7%), and Education (3.3%). Majority of the participants (97) students were from the college of Social sciences (64.7%), and the Engineering (33) students (22%), and the rest were between the other colleges mentioned previously. Categorizing the participants by disciplines whether they are Scientific, and Engineering, or Humanities, there were 38 students (25%) who represented the scientific discipline, which are sciences, and Engineering, while 112 students were representing Humanities, and Social Sciences specializations.

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expand my knowledge» have a mean of 3.87, and a standard deviation of .95. The highest mean between statement is the mean for the 9th statement «I will visit Makerspace if it will help me to have better grades», which is 4.19, with a standard deviation of .85. tenth, and eleventh statements about peers supporting, and learning new things opportunity have the means of 3.73, and 3.67, with standard deviation of .92, and 1.00. Total mean for section one is 3.85, its standard deviation is .71.

Findings of (Makerspace usage) section:

Third section of the questionnaire encountered the use of makerspace. Findings of the statements are demonstrated in Table (4). 26%, and 48% strongly agreed, and agreed that they will visit makerspace if it is existed in the academic library. 51.3% agreed on applying a makerspace membership if it was offered. m64% agreed on the use of makerspace if it allow to share ideas about course materials, and 55% agreed to use the makerspace if it help in saving costs on projects. On the other hand, 8% strongly disagreed that they will not visit makerspace if it existed on the academic library.Statement «I want a space in the library to share, learn, explore, and study» have mean of 3.82, and standard deviation of .93. Statement 13, involved using of the makerspace if it is available in the library, and the mean is 3.89, with standard deviation of .93, and this is the highest mean between the statements in the section. « I will use makerspace if it offer workshops and seminars» have mean of 3.80, and standard deviation of .86, while statement that involved membership application have a mean of 3.77, and .88 for a standard deviation. Statement «I will use makerspace if it allow me to meet my friends, and produce something useful» have mean of 3.74, and its standard deviation is 1.10, which is the lowest in section three of the questionnaire questions. 3.81 is the mean of statement «I will use

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erI can meet faculty members, who can help me out of classroom settings ( having professors, and mentors, or experienced people is a part of Maker space)» mean is 3.73 a standard deviation of (.91).Statement (3) has the highest mean, which is 3.93 with a standard deviation of .82, so the highest mean in the section is for liking the idea of the makerspace. The statement «I will use Makerspace if it offer training courses, and teaches me how to do things (develop a website, perform common surgical procedures, producing 3D figures...etc)» mean is 3.59, with a standard devotion of 1.00. Total mean of the section is 2.93 with a standard devotion of .64.

Findings of (Makerspace benefits) section:

Answers for the statements from 5 to 11 are demonstrated in Table (3). Visiting makerspace if it helps in home-works, and projects were agreed by 80 participants, which equals 53.3%. In addition, 33%, and 59% strongly agreed, and agreed that makerspace can help in develop social, and communication skills. 61%, and 65% strongly agreed, and agreed that they will visit makerspace if it help in getting better grades. Also, 60% of the participants agreed on the statement «makerspace supports the collaboration between peers». The overall results for the impact of makerspace on learning were relatively high.Statement «Makerspace can be relaxing, and different from the classrooms settings» mean is 3.72 with a standard devotion of .89. The sixth statement «I will visit Makerspace if it is helping me in doing my projects, or homework» is having a mean of 4.01, and standard devotion of .89, while the mean of statement «Having a Makerspace in the library can help me develop social, and communication skills» is 3.73 with a standard devotion of .95. Statement «Makerspace can help supporting curriculum, and

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Discussion

Findings of the research study was satisfying, presenting a solid prove that undergraduate students would benefit from having a makerspace. In addition, findings did answer the research questions. Two main findings aroused from the study. The first one that the participants are accepting the idea of makerspace regardless to the hesitation to acquire the makerspace membership. The second is that the participants are pro makerspace if it will support their academic achievement such as better grades, and curriculum support.Most of the statements in the questionnaire showed a high level of agreement. The first section that involved makerspace general perception showed a significant acceptance upon the concept of makerspace, which means that participant understood what is makerspace, and most of them have the ability to create, and innovate. The highest agrees was about the likeness of the idea of maker space , which is encouraging to know that the participants are accepting the concept, in-spite of the few disagrees on the likeness of making things, and using the makerspace for 3D printing, and other activities.Things are more interesting in the second section of the questionnaire that is involving the benefits of makerspace. Most of the participants agreed to use makerspace if it will result in high levels of learning outcome, and if it will develop their skills, which demonstrated in the statement of better grades. If the second section statements are divided between impact on (grades, and curriculum), and (social skills, and relaxing) it is found that participants tend to agree more on makerspace if it supports curriculum, and helped in getting better grades, comparing to relaxing, and socialization goals. This can be justified based on the fact that students are interested on passing courses with the best possible grades. Supporting that, Lagoudas et al. (2016) studied the impact of makerspace on students and most of the participants agreed that makerspace had a positive impact on grades, and GPA. It is needed to shed the light on «the opportunity of learning new things» statement. 33% of the participants were neutral, which may reveal that out of classrooms settings activities are not that interesting for the undergraduate students, comparing to the interest of homework support (53.3%). So, a makerspace is more accepted to support learning, and accomplishing college goals. In support of the fact that a makerspace may help in educational process, Kurti, Kurti, and Fleming (2014) sees a makerspace as an «ideal environment» for education.Findings of (usage of makerspace) section scored the highest for the statement that involving «visiting the makerspace if it was available in the library». Connecting that to the second highest «project cost saving», this shows If the tendency of the participants of visiting the makerspace in order to save costs, doing a specific project. In contrast, lowest means

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ermakerspace if it allow me to meet my friends, and share ideas about our courses› materials», and its standard deviation is .93. Statement number 18 involved using makerspace if it saves cost of the projects, which have the second highest mean ( 3.83), and its standard deviation is 1. Statement «I will use Makerspace if it will help me express myself» mean is 3.81, and its standard deviation is 1.3. Using makerspace if it is offering facilities for invention have a mean of 3.63, and its standard deviation is 1.10. Last statement›s mean is 3.69, and its standard deviation is 1.04 for the statement «I will use Makerspace if it enables me to meet experts and mentors» The total mean for the third section is 3.78, and its standard deviation is .73.

Comparing results between students of Engineering and Sciences, and Humanities disciplines was conducted. There are no statistically significant differences between specialization (Science, and Engineering / Humanities) in the three axes and the total score. Their (t) values were at a level greater than (α = 0.05). The specialization of Science, and Engineering subjects in the three axes and the overall degree obtained more averages but did not reach the degree of significance. This comparing is answering the second research question. The majority of the statement for makerspace perception was agreed upon by the sample that is representing undergraduate students of Kuwait university.

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Conclusion

A research study have been conducted on undergraduate student in Kuwait University, investigating their perception about having a maker space in the academic library. 150 students participated in a questionnaire that demonstrated good results of makerspace concept acceptance. Students are accepting the makerspace to support their learning, and grades more than creating, and relaxing. Findings need to be considered for further investigation. In order to have deeper results, a detailed statements in each sections may be conducted, and test of the perception in larger detailed rang of questions would result in more accurate findings. A study about features of membership to a makerspace might be a foundation to discover how to attract students to visit the space. Another further investigation may be taken to investigate the physical appearance of the makerspace that will be appropriate to students.

Makerspace can be a reason for the students to increase their visits to the library, which will make the library more valuable place, affecting its survival positively. Finings of the study can be used as a proof to participate in the decision of emerging maker-spaces in academic libraries of Kuwait University. The pilot study in this rejoin may trigger another similar studies that can generalize the need of such spaces that support innovation, and learning in Gulf, and Middle East.

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erinvolved creating, inventing, and meeting experts, which supports the second section results that showed the interest of students in better grades, and curriculum support. Although participants agreeing on the makerspace visiting, and using in terms of supporting learning, the mean of the statement that involving membership application is relatively low. 51.3% of the participant agreed on applying the membership in-spite of the fact that there is no details about the membership. 7.3% strongly disagreed on the membership statement, which may be shifted to agreeing if the membership offer special, and attractive features such as fee free paper copying. Neutral options for the third section were between 15% - 25%, which may be resulted from uncertainty of different aspects of the makerspace use. Statements that involve learning to make new things, creating, and inventing are counting for noticeable disagreement, and that maybe because of the reason that students do not have the time to side activities during the semester. This reason is supported by Pines, Sullivan, Nogales (2015), as stated, there is a «reluctance to peruse projects» if there is no credit for it in college, or educational settings. This variation over preferences on the use of makerspace by students is due to a number of things. According to Whyte (2017) «different learning needs», «different expectations», and «different personalities» can be provided by a makerspace, so students are different in their orientation. That is why some of them agree on innovation more, and some were agreeing more on curriculum support.

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Lagoudas, M. Z. et al. (2016). Assessing impact of maker space on student learning. Proceedings of 2016 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, New Orleans, LA.

Moorefield-Lang, H. (2015). Change in the making: Makerspaces and the ever-changing landscape of libraries. TechTrends, 59(3), 107112-.

Moorefield-Lang, H. M. (2015). User agreements and makerspaces: a content analysis. New Library World, 116(7368-358 ,(8/.

Morocz, R. J. et al. (2016). Relating Student Participation in University Maker Spaces to their Engineering Design Self-Efficacy. Paper presented at 2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana.

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