LIBRARY AS MAKERSPACE

Thanks to the folks at MAKE magazine we can download the Feb. 2013 edition of the School edition of Makerspace Playbook. It covers so many of the nitty gritty aspects of setting up a lab, release forms, safety considerations. Highly recommended: http://makerspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/MakerspacePlaybook-Feb2013.pdf

"Architecture by the People, for the People" leads many of us to say, "If we drop the assumptions of the past, maybe the solutions are closer than we think! Group projects, open source, simple repeatable designs. http://www.wikihouse.cc/ The future may be brighter than we think if we face it honestly and with a gusto of creativity. That's what the Makerspace movement is all about... wiki Doesn't this house look like some of the construction kits our kids use? Parvin's Mantra: 1. Don't Build : don't always answer a design question with a building. Maybe you need to adjust usage flow. 2. Go Small :  Think local and work in neighborhoods. 3. Go Amateur : Let local people be the catalyst

     An easy and rewarding program to run at any library is Lego Building. Here at the Duxbury Free Library, we turn one of our downstairs program rooms into a Lego event once a month on Wednesday afternoons. Big bins of random Legos are put out and children in Gr. K and up are invited to build. Themes can be preselected like robots, transportation, in space, buildings, or just free building opportunties. For a more active program, building vehicles with cardboard for ramps/obstacles or hosting a zipline is always a crowd pleaser. For the tech savy crowd, Lego stories could be made using Stop Motion programs, simple storytelling with a video camera, or making a photo slideshow and recording their voice over. The possibilities are endless.      Rather than scheduled Lego meetings this summer, we will be hosting a family Lego contest for Gr. K-6 in August.  Families are invited to build a Lego creation from their own imagination at home and br...

Our next PHILS project was using a stomp rocket built by Chris Connors, who will help us build our own for our Cardboard Carnival. The creative part of this activity was designing our simple paper rockets. We found that the rocket that launched highest was Peter's as he had spent the time to create an actual point to the tip of his rocket and had a couple of fins on it. The soda bottle was almost too brittle to be reliable as both bottles ended up splitting. Next week we will build our own launcher! Here's a link to Chris Connor's video explanation of his rocket launcher design: http://blog.makezine.com/2013/05/23/ten-dollar-stomp-rocket-launcher/

Is your computer keyboard not working? Not to worry with the MaKey, MaKey which can turn even bacon into a DIY keyboard, mouse, or video game controller. According to the website, "the Makey Makey is an Arduino-based device that lets you turn nearly anything into a computer key. Just attach the included alligator clips to food, people, liquids, Play-Doh, or any other somewhat conductive material for a whole new level of interactivity and fun."  This video explains it all and the possibilities are endless for programming with children and teens. Perhaps a contest for the most creative use of an object?  Or exploring the scientific method about which materials work better than others?   Stay tuned for more exciting projects as we research possible Makerspace programs.

With the help of veteran Makerspacer, Chris Connors, the PHILS club got to build Bristle Bots with small phone batteries and Solo Cup Bots built on the spot with supplies brought by Chris and scavenged in our library supplies. Our PHILS have each signed up with the DIY.org folks out in Silicon Valley, CA, and are just now beginning to post some of their cool projects. Figuring out how a circuit works opens up lots of potential for making all sorts of devices. Here is our quick little video

 One of the latest ideas in educational practice is the concept of "flipping" the classroom. This means that homework involves watching videos of lectures with step-by-step instructions that students can follow at their own speed. Class time is spent with students working on problems and creating content with the teacher available to coach, prompt, reiterate and underscore key concepts and ways things go together. This is a practical and efficient a way to use the wisdom and knowledge of a human teacher and emphasizes the importance of the student actively engaging in their own learning! Here at the Duxbury Free Library we are taking this kind of learning seriously with our new subscription to Lynda.com , an online database of courses on all kinds of things from software to business concepts. Our patrons can jump onto our dedicated Makerspace public computer and sign up for web design courses, classes on social media, how to design a business plan, market a new pro...