Basics

216 N Marshall Ave

Litchfield MN 55355

(320)693-2483

All Pioneerland

While all Pioneerland Library System buildings remain closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Curbside Pick-up of library items is available. You may place items on hold using the online catalog. Library staff will call you to schedule a pickup time once your hold is ready. Pickup days/times vary by location. Please contact your library if you have questions or need assistance in using this service.

Friday, March 27, 2015

What Will You Make Today?

By Margaret Weigelt
Teen Programming at Litchfield and Grove City

Encourage TEENS to TAKE this library SURVEY!   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DL8F665

If you’re of a certain age you may have noticed the public library isn’t quite like it used to be.  It’s still the place to find book titles on every topic under the sun, but some of the activities happening may surprise you.  People around the country and around the world are utilizing libraries for animated interactions together “discovering, making and doing” stuff like inventing, building and creating new content. Maybe you’ve noticed Lego creations on display? What’s that all about?  For a number of years now libraries have been building into their programming a new capacity to host and facilitate the creative genius of their communities.

In the future libraries may be the favorite place to go for community interaction, support, mentoring and to access a wide variety of tools and resources (other than books) cooperatively shared by community members to research and experiment, take apart or put together, and create or experience new content in both the real and the digital world. Instead of simply consuming someone else’s creative content we might be lending, submitting our own ideas, creations, compositions, coding, animations, inventions and discoveries to the community and library for input, feedback and review.

 In the future our resources will likely expand far beyond books and computers. In the future we might be coming to the public library to do a little research and then tackle a DIY/DIT or scientific project with tools and supplies available at the library! We might come to make a prototype with a 3D printer or work on a new invention or enterprise, investigate various technologies, try out new hobbies, get involved in service learning, learn to sew, cook, or make furniture. Who knows? It’s really up to you!
 
Here at the library we’ve taken baby steps toward a “Maker” kind of mindset for all ages.  In particular we’ve tried to make adjustments to our attitudes and are working to create library spaces where tweens and teens feel comfortable, especially for use of digital devices and social interaction. The teen programming at the Grove City and Litchfield libraries is set up to encourage and facilitate the creative, social and intellectual development of young people. The first step in achieving that has been to greet and get to know the teens that visit our libraries, find out about their interests, invite them to share their thoughts, advice, ideas and visions of what would make their experience at the library outstanding! We create programming around those interests.


One of our newest programs makes use of a tiny box of stuff called a Makey Makey.  It contains a whole lot of fun in the guise of a small circuit board powered by USB connected to conductive materials with alligator clip wires. Everyone’s eyes light up with ideas when they see the myriad possibilities of interacting with a computer’s apps, games and software via banana, play dough, spoons, or through a chain of conductive objects including three of your friends!

There will be a MAKEY MAKEY invention session for teens at the Litchfield Public Library Saturday April 11 starting 1:30 pm in the big meeting room! Another session will be offered at the Grove City Public Library on Monday April 20 at 3:30 pm. All young people ages 12-18 welcome. Refreshments will be served. No registration required. For more information call 320-693-2483 (Litchfield) or 320-857-2550 (Grove City).