I currently serve in a rural library that does not have a dedicated makerspace. I was able to secure a $2,200 donation from our local Kiwanis Club to create a mobile maker cart, which has given our patrons access to hands-on STEAM experiences without needing a permanent makerspace.

The cart is two-sided. One side includes art and craft supplies, recyclables, and open-ended materials, while the other side is focused on building and engineering materials. My next challenge is finding ways to incorporate more technology so children can take their creations further and explore how technology connects with hands-on making.

I am also working to address a larger challenge: how can we make quality STEM resources more accessible to rural libraries? I am exploring the idea of creating a shared STEM resource lending library throughout Indiana so libraries of all sizes can provide meaningful STEM experiences, regardless of their budget, space, or staffing.

I serve as an ambassador for Grand Universe, a $450 million space and science center coming to Indiana. When it opens, I will help develop programming for PreK through 4th grade, and I am especially excited about imagining how every exhibit can be hands-on, interactive, and universally designed.

I want children to do more than simply learn about science. I want them to wonder, experiment, create, and see themselves as scientists and engineers. I also want to intentionally build computational thinking into these experiences by encouraging children to break down problems, look for patterns, think through steps, test ideas, and revise their solutions.

My dream is for kids to walk away inspired and curious, with the confidence to think, create, and solve problems. I want their families to leave with simple ideas and activities they can continue exploring together at home.

Being in a public library gives me the freedom to design STEM experiences around curiosity, creativity, and exploration. I don't have to plan toward a final grade or assessment, so I can focus on the learning process and what children discover along the way. I intentionally design my STEAM challenges to be as open-ended as possible. I don't want every child to create the same thing in the same way. I want them to use their imaginations, make their own decisions, try different approaches, and figure out what works. I plan the materials and challenge, then let the children take the learning in directions I may not have expected.

For me, that is where innovation thrives. When children have the freedom to experiment, make mistakes, rethink their ideas, and create something that is truly their own, they are developing the problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that STEM is all about.

One of my programs is called Tinkers and Thinkers. We read an inspirational picture book biography about an important figure in STEAM and then take on a related challenge. For one program, we read Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane and I challenged the kids to design a paper airplane. They could decide what they wanted their plane to do, whether that meant flying far, doing tricks, or something completely different.

One boy decided he wanted to build a paper airplane that could take off without being thrown. He experimented with pipettes and straws and used his breath to help launch his plane. When we ran out of time, he was still thinking like an engineer and had started designing a platform for his airplane to rest on before launching.

That experience reminded me why I love open-ended STEM challenges. You can give children the same materials and the same starting point, and they can take their ideas in completely different directions. Sometimes the most meaningful learning happens when we give children the freedom to follow their own questions and see where their thinking takes them.

I have learned that it’s okay not to have all the answers. I think many elementary teachers (and librarians) feel intimidated by STEM because they worry they need to be the expert in the room. I’ve discovered that my role isn’t to show children exactly how to complete a project. My role is to guide them through their own learning and discovery. Sometimes that means figuring things out together. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know. How can we figure that out?” In fact, I think those moments can be some of the most valuable STEM learning experiences.

One small change teachers can make tomorrow is to ask, “What could you change?” after a STEAM activity. Instead of stopping when a child gets something to work, invite them to change one part of their design and test it again. Change the angle of a ramp, the size of a paper airplane, the materials in a structure, or even one step in a process. It takes almost no extra preparation, but it encourages children to experiment, iterate, and think about why something worked or didn’t work. Sometimes a simple question is all it takes to turn an activity into a STEAM experience.

Thank you for stopping by the blog, Elissa! Your perspective as a librarian in a public library adds a unique view and so much to the conversation on creating ways for STEM to be accessible for EVERY child. You are doing amazing work!

If you would like to follow Elissa's STEM journey at the public library, make sure you give her a follow on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-dee-76b346288

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