Thursday, March 30, 2017

Libraries are crucial in bridging the digital divide. Two teen librarians and a library IT specialist share their experiences over the last year piloting the MakerLab@Main, a space that embodies connected learning and allows library customers to transform from consumers of technology to creators and innovators. While the MakerLab@Main serves the whole community, many of the programs offered have been primarily attended by youth from historically underserved and underrepresented communities. Through MakerLab programming, these students have gained skills, mentors, and awareness of career paths previously unknown to them. This session is a case study to show how the application of the principles of connected learning through maker programming can help successfully bridge the digital divide to an underserved audience.