Tag Archives: STEM

2024 Getting Started with Girls Who Code – 1 LEU

girls who code logo Girls Who Code wants to give you the tools and resources you need to develop inclusive computer science programming – no coding experience required. Join us to learn about our free Clubs program for 3rd-12th grade coders. We’ll introduce you to our three essential components for quality programming: (1) activities that teach coding and social-emotional development, (2) a culture of bravery where participants join a supportive community of peers and role models in tech, and (3) real-world application of coding for positive impact. Leave with step-by-step guidance for bringing new STEM initiatives to young people in your community!

Presenter:  Kibret Yebetit is a Senior Manager of Community Partnerships & Outreach at Girls Who Code. She works with educators, libraries, and nonprofits to bring free computer science education to their students.

Date Recorded: 5/9/2024

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Kibret Yebetit / Senior Manager of Community Partnerships & Outreach at Girls Who Code

Resources:

 

The Bridge – Noble County Public Library’s Makerspace – 1 LEU

image of the bridge imagine explore manufactureFind out how The Bridge Makerspace evolved at the Noble County Public Library.

 

Date Recorded: 11/8/2023

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Derrick Leatherman, IT Services Manager and Austin Smith, Technology Coordinator / Noble County Public Library

Resources:

  • Bridge Checkout form pdf
  • Glowforge setting sheet link (as of 12-2023)
  • Prices for materials (as of 12-2023)
  • Software mentioned – Blender / Canva / Pinshaper / Thingiverse / Tinkercad / Silhouette Studio
  • The Bridge machines mentioned – Cameo / Epson Eco Tank / Form 2 / Heat Press / Plotter Printer / Resin Printer / Toner Printer (white) / X-Carve (no longer in The Bridge)

 

Bendable & St. Joe County Public Library – 1 LEU

image of letter BLibraries give their communities access to amazing online resources with enormous potential to improve lives and build skills, but these databases and digital courses are a challenge to promote and often underutilized. The St. Joe County Public Library has had success with Bendable, a life long learning platform that pairs online learning with in person connections. Community engagement and outreach are at the heart of our strategy, and we work directly with community members, organizations, and businesses to curate learning opportunities. These strategies focus on workforce development and partner networks. This webinar will provide an introduction to Bendable and also explore strategies for learning-centered engagement and outreach that can be implemented by any library.

Presenter Jennifer Henecke began working at the St. Joe County Public Library in 2018 in the Communications Department. She received her Master of Library Science in 2021 and currently serves as the Library’s Chief Engagement Officer. She loves working at the Library because it is the place where everyone truly belongs and you can find people from all backgrounds sharing the same space. She also loves fixing up historic homes and will drive hundreds of miles for good vegan food.

 

Date Recorded: 6/28/2023

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Jennifer Henecke, Chief Engagement Officer / St. Joe County Public Library

 

Make it! Tips on Starting or Expanding your Library’s Makerspace – 1 LEU

image of white gears on blue backgroundMore and more libraries are incorporating Makerspaces as part of the available resources for the public. With a focus on lifelong learning, creativity, and innovation, makerspaces can offer people an opportunity to explore new hobbies, interests, and job skills by providing tools and resources that they may otherwise not have access to. Is your library looking to begin or expand a makerspace? Not sure where to start or how to take the next step? In this presentation we will share an overview of the La Porte County Public Library Exchange, a makerspace located in La Porte, Indiana; what the Exchange offers; and lessons learned along the way that may be helpful to consider when starting or expanding your library’s makerspace.

Participants will:

  • Learn about the history of the LPCPL Exchange and how it grew over time
  • Goals of the space, logistics, and what we offer to the public
  • Lessons learned along the way and considerations for your own makerspace

Date Recorded: 4/26/2023

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Elizabeth Adams, Community Learning Librarian and Pam Okosun, Community Learning Manager / La Porte County Public Library

Resource:

 

Gameschooling: Using Board Games in the Classroom – 1 LEU

gameboard with dice and plastic ducksBoard games are fun for children of all ages, but they are also promising tools for education. How can we best practically incorporate them into K-12 classrooms in order to optimize learning? As a former neurobiologist who transitioned to teaching, I have experimented for the past seven years with the integration of board games as educational tools. Here I will discuss best practices for using board games effectively to teach content knowledge, focusing primarily on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. Topics covered will include gamer motivations, fun yet educational game mechanics, lesson plan structures, roles of educators in scaffolded learning, and common mistakes I have discovered in the “gameschooling” process. I will also show preliminary evidence that board games can effectively improve content knowledge. Overall, I hope to show how  popular modern board games could be utilized in educational arenas.

Date Recorded: 10/27/21

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Catherine Croft, Ph.D. / Co-Founder & CEO, Catlilli Games

Resources: 

 

Making a Mini Makerspace – 1 LEU

image of mini robotUnder the staircase, an old study room, an accessible storage closet … anywhere can become a mini makerspace! The North Riverside Public Library, a small library outside Chicago, was able to cobble together funding using our budget and grants to create mini makerspaces in small nooks around our library. We will talk about our process, research on materials and space design, and how we solicited valuable feedback from patrons. We’ll also discuss our failures and successes throughout the planning and implementation process, including budgetary constraints and unique workarounds that we discovered. This talk will be applicable to any small or rural library willing to get creative.

Date Recorded: 5/15/19

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Britney Musial, Teen/Tween Librarian and Lizzy Boden, Adult Services Librarian, North Riverside Public Library (North Riverside, Illinois)

Resources from webinar:


Bring NASA to Your Library with STEM Programming – 1 LEU

Hear from two librarians experienced in the NASA @ My Library program about how they have used the kit materials in their libraries to bring STEM programming to the masses and connect their libraries with the research and science of NASA.  Ryan Curto, Bedford Public Library, and Allison McLean, Elkhart Public Library, share ideas for programs they have done using the original NASA@MyLibrary kits.

Date Recorded: 4/12/19

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters: Ryan Curto, Bedford Public Library and Allison McLean, Elkhart Public Library


Make Do Share – 1 LEU


image of make do share logo
Join us to learn about STEM and “making” in libraries featuring the Make Do Share curriculum that has been tried and tested in a rural library system in Washington State. Make Do Share was made by libraries for libraries and includes helpful tips to build your confidence while supporting 21st century learners. We will explore ways to incorporate STEM skills into existing programs and how to become a non-expert leader in your community’s STEM learning ecology.

Date Recorded: 9/6/18

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Megan Burton / Kitsap Regional Library

Resources from Webinar


Curating Your Unusual Collections: Lending Nontraditional Items at the Library – 1 LEU


image of pressure foot of sewing machine
Telescopes, digital converters, board games, coding toys, and more! Cary Memorial Library (MA) debuted its Library of Things collection in March 2017. Over a year later, we are grateful for how our collection has flourished in spite of a few hiccups along the way! This webinar discusses the why and how of starting a circulating collection of unusual items, including Cary Library’s best practices for streamlining the circulation process and easing staff concerns regarding learning about all of the Things in your collection.

Date Recorded: 5/21/18

Resources

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Corinne Coveney / Cary Memorial Library (San Jose, California)


School and Public Library Partnerships: STEAM to Students – 1 LEU


image of girl with pictures of apps
Join Deb Gaff, youth services librarian at the Bartholomew County Public Library—and former teacher—as she discusses the STEAM programs she does for students both in school and at BCPL.  First she shares valuable strategies for establishing a relationship with schools and explains how BCPL got started with these initiatives.  Then she highlights her programs, including Coder Dojo, working with robots, a Nick & Tesla book club, and more.

Date Recorded: 4/3/18

Resources:

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter:   Deb Gaff / Bartholomew County Public Library