Enlarged Offerings of Sally Ride Science Workshops at Local Libraries, Featuring New Classes
Expanding Horizons: Library NExT Brings STEAM Workshops to San Diego
The San Diego Public Library, in partnership with UC San Diego, is set to offer a diverse range of free STEAM workshops at library branches across the city. The Library NExT program, which started as a pilot program offering workshops in five libraries, has expanded significantly and now includes over 40 hands-on workshops each month at 10 library branches.
In the coming months, the program will expand further, with six additional libraries joining in for winter classes, and more branches expected to join in for spring classes. The goal by the end of 2018 is to have a total of 15 library branches participating.
The workshops, held mostly on Saturdays and lasting from 3 to 4 hours, are geared towards middle school students and high school students. They cover a wide range of subjects, from Marine Mammals and Kitchen Chemistry to Wearable Electronics, The Science of Harry Potter, Messy Science, Tiny-House Architecture, Robotics, Video Game Design, and Physics of Fidget Spinners. In addition to these STEAM workshops, the Library NExT program offers test preparation and college prep classes.
Many of the workshop instructors are scientists and graduate students from the organization. Others are UC San Diego undergraduates from Tritons for Sally Ride Science, a campus club that supports Sally Ride Science's programs. Debi Kilb, a Scripps seismologist who is the science outreach director for Sally Ride Science, stated that they are excited to incorporate UC San Diego undergraduate instructors to build their tech-class offerings.
Program organizers plan to offer precollege credit or certificates to students who complete certain courses. The courses are based in part on curriculum developed for the Sally Ride Science Junior Academy, a summer STEAM program. Sally Ride Science, founded in 2001, aims to inspire students, especially girls, to study science and consider careers in science and engineering.
The Library NExT program is part of the library's effort to remain relevant to its changing community. About 20 percent of the students surveyed reported seldom or rarely going to the library, indicating that the Library NExT classes are bringing in new potential library patrons.
The winter Library NExT workshops will be held at the San Diego Central Library, Linda Vista, Mira Mesa, Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa, Rancho Penasquitos, and Skyline Hills branches. The spring offerings will include some of these classes. The full schedule for January through March and class registration can be found online.
For the latest schedules and workshop descriptions, consider visiting the official San Diego Public Library website or Library NExT program page, or contacting San Diego library branches directly.
[1] California STEAM Symposium in San Diego: https://www.casteam.org/symposium/2018-symposium/
[2] Examples of STEAM workshop types: https://www.nwpl.org/programs-and-services/programs/stem-programs/
[3] STEAM in the Sun at Crowell Public Library: https://crowell.lib.ca.us/event/7774784
The San Diego Public Library's Library NExT program, which focuses on STEAM education and self-development, plans to offer online learning opportunities alongside their hands-on workshops, expanding the reach of STEM education to more students. The program, which already includes a diverse range of subjects like Marine Mammals, Kitchen Chemistry, Robotics, and Video Game Design, aims to provide precollege credit or certificates to students who complete certain courses, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and preparing them for potential careers in science and engineering.
