THE STEMBRARY SHIFT TRANSFORMING LIBRARIES INTO

THE STEMBRARY SHIFT: TRANSFORMING LIBRARIES INTO STEM HUBS

AMANDA BUSCHMANN

When you walk by the library at Carroll Elementary, it’ s hard not to notice the elements of STEM and collaboration infused within and throughout: the colourful engineering design process posters; the Stick Together poster in full swing; the fairy-lit STEM resource section, complete with fun wallpaper; signs indicating such things as “Ozobot Station ” and “LEGO Station ” ; and even a STEM Challenge Wheel. As school libraries are often the center of the school, both physically and culturally speaking, it makes sense to focus there to create a STEM hub to begin infusing the entire school with a STEM culture -- STEMifying the space and the program, if you will.

Why the Library?

Instilling elements of STEM into the library began small and grew from there -- a program here, a Makerspace product there. Expecting to embrace a fully STEMified library program at the outset is setting up oneself for disappointment and discouragement. In my district, Sheldon ISD, certain schools have a focus, and Carroll Elementary is lucky enough to be granted a “STEM focus. ” Thus, when my district coordinator asked if I wanted to try my hand at NISE’ s STEM certification program, I did not hesitate to jump on board. Through the program ’ s rigorous 38 modules, I learned how to take elements of what already exists on campus and in classrooms and tweak them slightly to enhance those critical 21stcentury skills--to STEMify them, as it were.

Storybook STEM

Storybook STEM is perhaps the most seamless aspect of STEMifying the library since it involves taking a traditional facet of a library -- storytime and attaching STEM challenges to aspects of the story. Taking inspiration from Carly and Adam ’ s lesson plans on Teachers Pay Teachers, I asked my own campus teachers which TEKS they were focusing on and strived to find texts which supported those TEKS. For instance, third and fourth grade were about to study fairy and folktales -- which text had I read or heard about recently that would support that, and which I could find stimulating STEM challenges inspired by the text? And, importantly, for which I also had resources? If I drew a blank, I would go to Google

and search for the text’ s title + “STEM. ” Rarely would I ever borrow someone else ’ s STEM challenge in its entirety, but tweak it for my lesson ’ s length, school’ s population, and available resources.

Continuing my example of folktales, one highlight includes reading The Princess and the Warrior by Duncan Tonatiuh. I invited the classes in (if on a flexed schedule) with a jazzy Canvacreated graphic and we watched the animated story on Get Epic. If on a fixed schedule, these lessons would absolutely still go on, but with an adjusted time frame. Afterward, I introduced the levels of STEM challenges involving LEGO -- the first, replicating an Aztec pattern (with supplemental visual provided to students to inspire); the second, build a sturdy castle for the princess; and lastly, design and construct a blockade to stop the messenger from reaching the princess in her castle. I would test the students ’ blockades with my own “ messenger, ” and if I was able to get through, the students had to rework their designs, thus going through the aspects of the engineering design process.

Another memorable example includes After the Fall by Dan Santat. For the younger students, we read the story and discussed story elements. Then, we learned basic origami and how to fold paper airplanes, like the main character. We identified our fears and decorated our planes with our fears. Then, we had fun making our fears “fly away ” by holding contests to see whose plane flew the furthest. We also redesigned our plane with different folds through the engineering design process to see how it flew differently.

Even the pandemic has not slowed our Storybook STEM down -- virtual students can still participate by picking up a bag of non-reusable materials from the front office and following along via Zoom. If the materials are reusable, such as LEGO, then I offer options if they do not have such resources. Forcing the students to be creative in their options has yielded some very interesting and amazing results -- one student, instead of using LEGO, made a soccer field from paper and it was absolutely stunning!

Such Storybook STEM lessons provide an exciting, memorable, and risk-tasking environment for students to engage in hands-on exploration of a story, to take the story beyond the pages and really think critically and make connections, which is the heart of STEM education.

Makerspace

Perhaps one of the most talked about and most misunderstood aspects of the library is its Makerspace. Most libraries, be they public or school, have some form of Makerspace now, whether it is a fixed space stocked with the latest robots and gadgets, or a moveable cart of craft supplies, or both. Instead of merely a place to go and aimlessly play, Makerspaces offer a clearly defined area for students to extend classroom learning that otherwise may not be able to occur. With a few simple expectations and materials, Makerspaces can be the brainstem of a library ’ s thriving STEM organism.

In the Carroll Library, the Makerspace is both a large, fixed space in the back of the library as well as moveable pieces. Teachers can check out materials for their classroom stations, and materials are often swapped out and interchanged depending on grants funded, curricula underscored, and student interests. The expectations for the Makerspace are simple: explore, be fair, and clean up any messes you make. Students have free reign of Ozobots, Beebots, Spheros, LEGO, Magnatiles, craft supplies,

stickers, tape, glitter, paper of all kinds, board games, puzzles, two kinds of 3D printers, and Chromebooks -- along with more items. Further, there is a cart stocked with random parts such as gears, cardboard pieces, screws, and styrofoam pieces - along with tools to measure, cut, and carve. If a student does not know where to begin, there is a STEM challenge wheel adapted from the LUSTIGT via IKEA -- I stuck different challenges on there that work with any material, any time. All they have to do is spin the wheel, and bam! A STEM challenge.

To access the Makerspace is up to your school’ s mission and your library ’ s purpose. Carroll Library has tied Makerspace access into our school’ s PBIS mission -- students earn Colt Cash for positive behaviours, which they cash in for a Makerspace session. Teachers, administrators, and students are all happy.

The question of how to stock a Makerspace is a pertinent one -- it doesn ’t have to be costly. DonorsChoose is the first place to look, and every district generally has a grant specific to its teachers. A hidden gem is Facebook Neighbourhood groups, especially “ mom ” groups. Moms are always cleaning out closets and giving stuff away -- I’ ve snagged LEGO sets, building materials, and tons of other materials for our Makerspace for free just by commenting on someone ’ s post!

STEM Stations

If you are in the rotation schedule, have classes for any reason, or just have those weird library days and need to pull a magic trick out of a hat, then STEM stations are your answer. Using an inventory of student interests, Carroll Library has a variety of STEM stations that students rotate through depending on their interests. Students can explore and create through such stations as Ozobots, LEGO, Poetry Creation, Board Games, Bookmark Creation, Coloring, Keva Planks, Stick Together Poster, Magnatiles, and so much more. Stations vary and change depending on inventory, which keeps students interested.

So how do they choose their stations? It can be used as a behaviour incentive or randomly assigned. The idea is that all stations are desirable, and students get a taste of them all. If students get stuck, I have printed out STEM Challenge cards for them to flip through and get ideas. Some students love challenging themselves to see how many STEM cards they can successfully complete before their time is up.

Pandemic times have only shifted STEM stations slightly -“ quarantine time ” (smushed together as “ quarantime ” these days) is necessary between stations. As such, rotation is essential between stations. Larger stations can be broken down into smaller stations to allow for fuller use -- for instance, instead of one large LEGO box, break it into three small LEGO boxes. The students will not notice the difference, and if they do, just explain it’ s a challenge for them to create with fewer LEGO now. It is not a difficulty or an impossibility: it’ s just a new challenge to tackle!

STEM GEMS

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a librarian is hosting clubs. It is entirely voluntary on my campus, but hosting a STEM club, especially an all-girls STEM club, enhances the view of the library as a STEM hub and centerpiece of the school. Our STEM GEMS began small; we partnered with the University of Purdue ’ s GEMS (https://gems.education.purdue.edu/) and used inspiration from their online documentation to help formulate the club. However, my co-sponsor, our campus STEM teacher, and I created our own curriculum. We embraced the idea of high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech, and geared each meeting around one STEM experience. The idea was to offer a safe environment for girls to encounter STEM, to take risks with no worries of others crowding in and taking over.

Potential GEMS must apply and be accepted into the program; when we “induct” them into the program, we strive to make it special with an acceptance package and personal visit to their classroom. For every STEM challenge the STEM GEM completes, she earns a digital badge; at the end of the year, we hold a ceremony in which they are given a printed-out certificate of all their badges.

Memorable meetings have included guest speakers, including a female firefighter and a NASA engineer; a hidden building challenge; Easter stations that included Easter slimemaking, Easter crystal-making, and an egg catapult; designing STEM fashion in alliance with Jaya Iver at Svaha USA; and, most recently, the “Save a Stuffie ” challenge. In this multi-step challenge, GEMS adopted an injured stuffie, measured and designed a potential prosthetic device using Tinkercad, and used our 3D printers to print out their products.

It does not necessarily need to be a large club such as this -- I also hosted a small cohort to go through the CityX 3D printing curriculum I found online, and we met during their lunch time. Hosting and having the genesis of these clubs in the library aids the STEM culture of the school as one where the library is viewed as the STEM centerpiece. Have STEM-related questions, need STEM materials, or just want to be surrounded by all things STEM? Go to the library!

Library Resources and Collection Development

Speaking of resources, mostly any book can be considered “STEM, ” but having a specialized STEM section invites attention and engagement. I sectioned off a few shelves and decorated them with block-like contact paper, robots, and lightbulb string lights. I also made bespoke STEM labels to affix to spines so that once books are moved away from this specialized section and into the general shelves, students can still see they are “STEM” books and become interested.

Promoting such resources to teachers is also fun -- I regularly place a cart of new STEM offerings in high-traffic areas and make it easy for teachers to check out materials for their classrooms. Even offering a simple and cute “Sip & See ” for your new books will invite attention and engagement and does not require much prep work. A few two-litre drinks, some tablecloths, and a bunch of quality texts will excite teachers and lead them to resources they may not otherwise acquire.

All in all, STEMifying your library will not happen in one fell swoop but becomes part of a dedicated culture and mindset over the years. By tweaking and implementing changes here and there, the library, historically viewed as a center point for all things knowledge, will transform into a safe, risktasking environment that excites even the most reluctant learner.

Amanda Buschmann

Amanda is a STEM-certified librarian from Houston, Texas with 17 years of industry experience.