The technology of the 21st Century has transformed once strictly quiet libraries into innovative activity centers where children can expand their creativity in a variety of ways.
Memorial Middle School was one of the many statewide participants to take part in “Power Up at Your Library Day” on September 15 to promote technology, innovation, creativity, and literacy.
An inquisitive group of sixth-grade students gathered in the Information Literacy Center to participate in Creative Lab during flex time.
“On Tuesdays and Thursdays we have flex time, and the ILC is open so they can come read and do homework, but they can also work on creative activities,” Library Media Specialist, Melinda Fernandez said. “Since today is Power Up Day, I decided to promote my Maker Spaces, which are all STEM related. We have different activities that allow them to learn how to code, create stop-motion animations, and make 3-D drawings. One of the popular workstations is called ‘Makey Makey’ and this activity allows them to take different objects like clay and turn them into a keyboard.”
The library was filled with the sound of piano notes being played, and children laughing while working in teams. Students sat at different workstations throughout the library using tablets and computers to work on the different STEM activities. Two groups were in front of TV screens playing keyboards made of wires and clay.
“We put a certain amount of Play-Doh on each wire, and we can play the notes through the clay,” sixth-grader Jazmine De La Cruz said. “We are learning that we can make different things out of Play-Doh and that with science we can make so much more.”
These activities are geared towards expanding the minds of students and allowing them time outside of the classroom to be creative.
“We are very happy that Governor Gregg Abbott decided to make today Power Up at your Library Day,” Coordinator of Library Services, Mireya Galvan said. “This is a great way to show off the great things that are happening at our libraries.”
Power Up at Your Library Day is part of the “Ideas Powered: It’s What We Do” campaign, which seeks to broaden the awareness of innovative library services to the public. For more information about the Powered Libraries initiative, which was launched by the Texas Library Association in early 2016, visit www.poweredlibraries.org
