Thursday, March 30, 2017

Invention literacy is not just about understanding how a thing is made or how it works; it is also the ability to use that knowledge to bring one’s own ideas into reality. China gives examples of how one public library is empowering children, teens, and adults to become “invention-literate” through its maker programming. Find out how a combination of high- and low-tech equipment, safe and accessible learning environments, and a unique community partnership is nurturing invention, creative confidence, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Sparked by the CIL 2016 Hawkins & Mears talk about personal digital archiving and the DCPL Memory Lab, Dearborn and Navabi share their library's inexpensive journey to create a Mobile Memory Lab program. They discuss the acquisition and setup of digital conversion equipment and software: videotape and audiotape converters, a slide/film/picture scanner, and recording equipment for oral histories. Their Memory Lab program includes related training for patrons: personal digital archiving, working with images, writing memoirs, conducting oral interviews, and creating a website to share local history and patron memories.