Month: June 2016

Gardening at Rodriguez

When I first joined Maker Jawn in the fall, Lauren, the lead Rodriguez mentor at the time, led me into the back of the library and showed me a little garden she had started. There were chili peppers and swiss chard growing. Even though it was too late in the season for us to plant anything else, I was totally… Read more →

From Floater to Lead Mentor

Since my first day with Maker Jawn I have been a floater mentor; happily helping out at the branches where I was needed most. I was able to watch how two of our most senior mentors handled their maker spaces. Slowly, I was able to build a relationship with the makers at these branches as well as the library staff.… Read more →

Spring in the rearview mirror

Wow.  Spring has turned to summer, and the program at McPherson Square is beginning to burst at the seems.  This seems like a good moment to reflect on the what has come and what is yet to come.   When I think back to the winter at McPherson, the Maker Jawn program was quite different than it is now.  I… Read more →

Cool Bird Houses

When I first read over Bryan’s wooden birdhouse curriculum, I felt excited to be bringing carpentry into the library and introducing the makers to new “heavier-duty” tools and construction materials. But I was also intimidated by the prospect of a handsaw and hammer in a crowded room full of rambunctious kids. How would we make this loud, messy, and possibly… Read more →

Pittsburgh Trip Reflection

Pittsburgh Trip Reflection A few of our Maker Mentors went to Pittsburgh to visit another MakerSpace, called TheLabs.  Here are just some reflections from the trip. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TheLabs Differences: They have few mentors with just 5 mentors (including their project manager) They only have programming at 3-4 locations They work closely with the Teen Specialists at their libraries (who are also consider… Read more →

“KEN Cooks” Finale!

This spring the Kensington library hosted a party for the children and families that have participated in “KEN Cooks”, a special Maker Jawn program made possible by a Curiosity Creates grant given to us by the Association for Library Service to Children. The party included a screening of all the cooking shows we have made during the program, including a special “behind the… Read more →