Category: LSTA

The Age of Enlightenment in Bellingham

By Shelley Quezada, Consultant to the Underserved

For a number of months last year, residents of Bellingham were invited to participate in an array of programs for all ages that focused on environmental literacy including alternative energy  recycling and water resources. From March through September 2017 the Bellingham library carried out a series called “Enlighten Bellingham” to engage community members in meaningful science and technology experiences. The Bellingham Public Library was one of three Massachusetts libraries chosen as a pilot library for a project funded with federal funds coordinated by the Maine State Library, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and Cornerstones of Science, a Maine nonprofit. The goal was to create a field-tested, replicable science literacy method that would enable designated public libraries to become skilled STEM facilitators.

Programs included information on upcyclying, using plastic bags to crochet, and the why and how of solar panels.  One of the most  exciting events was an Electric Car Show conducted with support from the New England Electric Auto Association.  Members of the audience engaged  presenters by asking relevant  questions and showing a real interest in how new technology  might be of benefit in the future.  Later this year the library will host a second electric car show and invite partners who presented in last year’s series on solar, water, and recycling as part of a final day long open house.

As part of this initiative the library  held a Build a Better World Science Fair to conclude the popular summer reading program.  They also subscribed to a program called Tinker Crates and Kiwi Crates.  Each month the library receives  two  STEM kits  and uses them as the basis for programming that kids can  share with another person  and work through the challenge of creative problem solving.   The Kiwi Crate programs teach kids to “think big” and act like creators and producers instead of just consumers.  Thus kids gain confidence and don’t assume there is only one “right way” to build with blocks, paint a picture or solve a problem.  Bellingham  kids have made robots, kaleidoscopes, waterwheels, and a variety of other very cool STEM projects.  Parents are thrilled that the library offers these kits and the goal of engaging the whole community in an enlightening experience with science continues to be supported. For more information about these programs please contact library director, Bernadette Rivard. brivard@bellinghamma.org

Check This Out: Borrowing More Than Books

By Lyndsay Forbes, Project Manager and Grant Specialist at the MBLC

As libraries have evolved over the years, so have the ideas of what they should collect and lend to their patrons. A visit to your local library today will offer so much more than books. It’s not anything against books, I promise. Sometimes the best way to meet a need is with something that’s a bit outside the book shelf.

Libraries have always made it their mission to make information accessible to all. To keep up with that goal, you have to be aware of how people are getting their information. Many libraries lend out broadband mobile hotspots. This device enables you to access the internet for free from any location. Internet access is vital in today’s world. Options like being able to borrow a mobile hotspot can help fill a gap among users.

Learning and libraries are natural partners. And sometimes the best way to learn is hands-on. With help from an LSTA grant, the Middleborough Public Library created STEAM backpacks and teacher kits you can take home. Are you on an astronomy kick? You can check out the night sky with a telescope from a nearby library. By approaching learning in an innovative way, libraries can provide additional means for exploring what interests you.

Libraries provide rich cultural and educational opportunities, both inside and outside their walls. One very popular and longstanding option you may already be familiar with is a museum pass program. Sign up at your local library to borrow a museum pass and get discounted or free admission to area museums, such as the Museum of Science or the Museum of Fine Arts. The Department of Conservation and Recreation ParksPass is also available at many libraries. This pass gives free parking at more than 50 facilities in the Massachusetts State Parks System that charge a day-use parking fee. Offsetting the cost of visiting these great places allows these experiences to be more accessible to a wide variety of people.

The option to try before you buy is another reason for offering a non-traditional collection. Want to test out your ukulele skills? The Forbes Library in Northampton has a variety of musical instruments it lends to card holders. Now you can practice at a basic level before making the jump to buy that banjo. The upstart cost of activities can make them out of reach for many individuals. Lending items like musical instruments helps break down these barriers.

The unique collections available can help you by providing items you’d use occasionally but you don’t want to (or can’t) store. Borrow a sewing machine from the Cary Memorial Library in Lexington when you have some mending to do. Get some friends together and ham it up with Reading Public Library’s Karaoke Machine. Bake all the cakes with the help of Brookline Public Library’s cake pan collection. By expanding the idea of what to lend, libraries take resource sharing to a whole new level.

Libraries strive to provide a place to explore ideas, connect individuals and groups, offer cultural and educational experiences, foster creativity, and enhance lives. With such lofty goals, you can see why today’s library goes beyond books.