STEAM Programming on a Budget

Photo from Sowing Seeds Librarian blog

Emily Zorea, Brewer Public Library's Youth Librarian, stepped out and presented her first solo session during the recent WAPL conference. Richland Center is a city of approximately 5,000 people in a fairly rural area of southwest WI.  A warm, friendly and supportive speaker who speaks comfortably without notes, Emily not only shared her tips on creating reasonably priced STEM content but also how libraries in smaller communities can really engage kids with science and coding. She engaged the audience and solicited ideas from their experience as STEAM programmers as well.

Emily recently began blogging at Sowing Seeds Librarian where she uses her blog to detail programs she's done. The blog serves as an archive for her programs as well as a how-to for interested readers. She has also been involved in WI DPI's Coding Initiative classes and generously shares her notes to help all of us become more comfortable and knowledgeable about coding with our community kids.

Attendees left with a ton of doable ideas. Her presentation slides speak for themselves. You can access them here at her blog.

Both Emily Zorea and Emily Sanders (whose TAB programs were featured last week on the blog) are new youth library presenters at Wisconsin state conferences.  We hope their presentations inspire YOU to take the leap, put together a program or panel and share your journey at a conference. New voices and perspectives (irregardless of age) are always welcome!  The YSS board, who always puts together an incredible stack of conference programs, is waiting to hear from you.

Check out other WAPL youth program reports from the April 27-28 conference (links will be highlighted when published):

• This is a Not a Hit Zone: Promoting Healthy Kids and Safer Communities at Your Library - Dawn Wacek, Dana Johnson
• It's Not Just the Facts, Ma'am!": Creating and Marketing a Dynamic Youth NF Collection - Marge Loch-Wouters
• Flip the Children's Space: A Face-Lift for Kids - Susan Queiser, Patricia Becker
• Teach and Be Taught: Teens in the Library - Emily Sanders
• YSS Leadership Meeting
• Return of the Notable Books Report - Leah Langby etal
• Sound Learning: Read-Alongs Enhancing Literacy Development - Sharon Grover, Jamie Swenson
• All Play Literature Engagement for Public Libraries - Ashlee Kunkel, Valerie Edwards

Stop here at the WAPL conference website for all the session handouts and slidedecks.