Westerly Sun Column | Tech and Turkey on the Menu This Month

This past Sunday, November 8th, was National S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Day! The goal of this day is to inspire kids to develop an interest in these subjects, and even explore some of the related career paths. If you missed out on celebrating this weekend, the library is celebrating S.T.E.A.M. all month long.

There are many different options for exploring science (S). Take a self-guided nature walk through Wilcox Park with the assistance of our interactive tree map (which can be found on our website). On November 21st, you can get even more hands-on during the Westerly Tree Planting Day event, where attendees will learn how to properly plant a tree, with the ultimate goal of growing Westerly’s urban tree canopy. Books like Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time”, or Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” are classics that will give you some foundational scientific knowledge, but there are far more books available; just look for call numbers beginning with “500” in the adult or kid’s nonfiction for more scientific literature.

The T in S.T.E.A.M. represents technology, which is already deeply ingrained in nearly every facet of our lives. Considering that many believe we are too obsessed with technology these days, it may seem counterintuitive to focus in on the subject! The S.T.E.A.M. initiative emphasizes the importance of becoming active users of technology, though, rather than passive consumers, and the library’s computer lab and Makerspace are perfect places to get started. You can learn about and experiment with different tools, use our computers, and even make one-on-one appointments with staff to learn more about different subjects.

Coding is an area that doesn’t fall neatly into one of the S.T.E.A.M. silos, but intersects with many of them, including Engineering. We’re very excited to launch our Youth Coding Club at the library, which will be held from 4-5pm on the first and third Wednesday’s of the month. The group, which is powered by “Girls Who Code”, is open to students in grades 6-12 and covers everything from web development to artificial intelligence. In addition to resources related to computer engineering, we have a huge collection of books related to other forms of engineering. “Engineering in Plain Sight: An Illustrated Field Guide to the Constructed Environment” by Grady Hillhouse is a great field guide to a variety of constructions. For something a bit more fun, try “Kobuk the Destroyer: And Other Tales from the Wild, Unseen World of Test Engineering” by Alex Davies, which delves into the fascinating and often hilarious world of test engineers.

As with the others, there are plenty of opportunities to explore art and math at the library, from hands-on arts and crafts projects to books like actually make math interesting! If you check out “Math with Bad Drawings” by Ben Orlin, which combines straightforward explanations and funny illustrations to explain mathematical concepts. With so many books, resources, clubs, and equipment, it’s easy to incorporate S.T.E.A.M. into your lives at the library!

By Cassie Skobrak, Adult Services Librarian