Every Kid a “Maker” at Timberland Regional Library

Fifteen sets of LEGO® bricks – 10,000 in each set – has kids going creative.
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Submitted by Timberland Regional Library

Fifteen sets of LEGO® bricks – 10,000 in each set – has kids going creative.
Fifteen sets of LEGO® bricks – 10,000 in each set – has kids going creative.

Hats off to the partnership between LEGO Systems and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) that has resulted in Timberland Regional Library’s acquisition of 150,000 pieces of fun. In Timberland libraries, children are visualizing, designing and building.

Here is the back story:

On June 18, 2014 the White House hosted the first-ever Maker Faire, proclaiming the day a National Day of Making. As part of the event, LEGO Systems and ALSC announced the Junior Maker Program and as part of that program, committed to hundreds of U.S. libraries that the company would set-up and host library junior maker spaces. Each library received fifteen toolkits – each kit holding 10,000 LEGO® bricks – along with support and educational material.

 

Here are a few early reports from library staff members about how the program is going:

From Centralia: “Centralia had its first ever Construction Night on Monday. We designed it as a drop-in program from 4:30 – 6:30 and we had 60 enthusiastic people show up!”

From Olympia: “I love the creative energy in the room. I was so impressed with how well the kids worked together and how much they enjoyed sharing their creations with other kids. I was happy to see a lot of girls in the room, too!”

From Shelton:It’s so much fun just seeing how excited the kids get describing their creations!”

From Tumwater: “Our attendance has been very good … from 15-45 people. Kids can either “free build” or take the daily challenge. After they are done building, we put their creation on display along with a card [with the maker’s] first name on it. One of the things I especially love about LEGO programs is how excited the kids get describing and explaining what they’ve made.”

Timberland’s Youth Services Coordinator Ellen Duffy served as liaison with the Junior Maker Program, making sure all conditions were met to qualify for the award. When the 15 large boxes arrived at the Timberland Service Center, she was the first to tear open a box. Just before lunch, an invitation went out to all employees at the service center to bring their lunches to the large conference room. There she had set out LEGO sets for some impromptu creativity. Soon, every table was filled and projects blossomed.

“Apparently,” Duffy reflected, “no one is too old, or too busy to become a maker, even if only for a lunch hour.”

 

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