The San Lorenzo Library has been awarded a Curiosity Creates grant from the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association. The grant will fund a portable makerspace and podcast programming at the library for children ages 6-14 through May 2016.
“The goal of the project is to expose children and young teens to new materials that they might not have encountered before, and to give them the confidence to explore new concepts independently,” said Jesse Nachem, Children’s Librarian. Materials for the new makerspace kits include: duct tape, leatherworking, crochet, felting, and motorized Lego©. The library will hold group workshops introducing each material and skill and small portable kits will be created so young library patrons can use them in the library on their own, or with minimal supervision. In addition, sessions on 3D printing will also be provided.
Included in the project will be a monthly podcast, including interviews with makerspace participants. The first podcast introducing the grant will be recorded on December 16, 2015 in the San Lorenzo Library Community Room, where young patrons and their caregivers are invited to participate in a brief interview about creativity and makerspaces.
The San Lorenzo Library is the original branch of the Alameda County Library, established in 1910. The library opened in a newly expanded building in August 2015, and features a Learning Center, Community Room, new computers and media, and a wide array of programming for children, teens and adults.
For more information about the San Lorenzo Library Makerspace and upcoming events, please contact the San Lorenzo Library at 510-284-0640 or visit the library website or Facebook page: http://guides.aclibrary.org/SanLorenzo; www.facebook.com/SanLorenzoLibrary/. Information about Curiosity Creates can be found at http://www.ala.org/alsc/curiositycreates.