Code.org: Why Don't We Learn To Code?

Code.org is an initiative to get more people aware of the importance of computer programming. The basic idea is that the ability to make a computer do what you want it to do, instead of just using what other people have got it to do, is very powerful.

In fact, there are more computer science jobs than there are students training for them. Because of that, computer science is a huge opportunity for our future. But, there aren't that many students, teachers, or schools that are aware of that fact. So, throw the creators of Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Dropbox, Valve, Zappos, and a couple celebrities in front of a camera, and you have the makings of a cool video and a cool initiative.

In addition to stats about computer jobs and the lack of people heading toward them, Code.org links to other sites that will start to teach you how to code. These links include Scratch, Codeacademy, Khan Academy, and CodeHS. Code.org also assembles some teacher resources for us.

If you'd like a better idea of what it is all about, you can check out the video =D

Promotion and Programming: What they Didn't Teach in Library School

On a listserv I'm a part of, a young adult librarian named Rebecca Denham asked other librarians to guest blog posts for her, and she posted mine =D


Now, I was kind of under the gun to finish it (as I was already at the library a half hour longer than I was supposed to be, and because I had spaced that I was supposed to write a blog post because of how many program I had that week), so she thankfully edited what I said into a nice post.

So, this is what I sent over to her, and you can click Lunanshee's Lunacy, to see how she adapted it to her blog :)

Promotion & Programming: How do we keep this crazy ball rolling?

For those that have been paying attention to these guest posts, you might have noticed that mine came out a little bit late. Ironically, I got caught in the tidal wave of programs this week, and completely spaced that I was the guest blogger. My bad!

Now before I start giving my ideas, please know that I have absolutely no answers for you. I click on pretty much anything that has promotion and programming ideas in the title or tags. But, even though I get some ideas from these posts, it still doesn’t solve the quintessential problem; how do I ensure that my programs are vibrant, engaging, and growing? 

Short answer: I believe that each library, each program librarian, and each individual program will have a very different answer to that quintessential problem, so just keep working on that perfect combination, and then keep mixing so it stays awesome. 

Program Ideas

Narrow it down

Sometimes I’m overwhelmed with the sheer amount of programs that I have to plan. How am I going to fill a weekly hour-long program?!?! Try a rotating schedule of program types.

For older elementary and middle schoolers my rotation has looked like video/board games, science experiments, cooking, and crafts. 

For high school, it’s bounced from Next-Gen Advisory Team (our Teen Advisory Board) to TeenBookWorms (our book group) to movie nights to literacy special events like a Zombie Prom and Hunger Games Party. 

Try something new or steal it from someone else

What did you like as a kid? See if it would work for your group. Notice that Angry Birds is huge right now? Do Life-Size Angry Birds. Notice that you have absolutely no ideas? Go steal some from a Pinterest board or a Google search and adapt them for your students.

Ask your peeps

It’s completely true that most people don’t know what they want until they see it. But, asking for input and letting your participants choose from a couple different options has worked for me. If they’re excited about it, they’re more than likely to come, right?

Program Promotion 

Don’t be discouraged 

Why is it that when you have enough time to do really good promotion (if you have the time) sometimes they show up and sometimes they don’t. What’s the trick here? I think its doing your job to the utmost and not being so concerned with the outcomes. There are bosses and boards that want amazing programs, high program attendance, and consistency. But, ultimately it’s up to your participants to come to a program.

Blast it all over

Everyone tells us that about 10% of the people you tell about a program will actually show up. If that’s the case, get your promotion onto social media, school newsletters, school newspapers, school video announcements, homeschool newsletters, email lists, text alerts, Foursquare, local business windows and bulletin boards, and obviously all over your library. 

Connect through outreach

But, while you’re doing all of that, don’t forget about connecting with people one on one. I can’t count the times that a program is saved from obscurity because one teacher got excited about it.

So, if you’re a school librarian talk to your public librarian, and if you’re a public librarian talk to your school librarian. Visit the PTAs at the schools. Say yes when a school asks you to read The Lorax at their next assembly. Visit that classroom with your science experiments, and keep following up with the After School group that likes you. Talk to that friend that has a son or daughter that could be coming to your fabulous program. See if a Youth Group will let you mention your programs during their game night.

You are the brand!

I’ve heard that libraries do absolutely nothing; librarians do. This blog post has been a little long-winded and babbly, but if it all boils down to something, your programs are awesome because you’re awesome. You are the brand that makes these programs work! So keep working, keep trying, and keep connecting.

About Nick Madsen

Nick Madsen is the Young Adult Librarian at the Community Library Network at Hayden. When he isn’t filling-in for a storytime, blowing things up, working on his MLIS (hopefully finishing this Fall) or chatting about everything or nothing after a program, you will most likely find him hanging out with family and friends, playing ultimate frisbee or basketball, ballroom dancing, or helping at his church. You can find him on Facebook as Nick Madsen or at Next-Gen Adults of the Community Library Network, on Twitter as @CLN4NextGen, or his library blog at cln4nextgen.blogspot.com. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Getting Off the Sidelines

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Why did I read it?

A friend of mine mentioned the movie (based on the book, with a screenplay by the author) a couple of months ago and said he really enjoyed it, and it was in the house because my sister just got done reading it. 

What happened?

Charlie is what people might describe as a wallflower; he is fantastic at observing, understanding, and listening, but when it comes to participating in life, he has a much harder time.

That is until his freshman year of high school when he meets Sam and Patrick. They smoke, go to parties, participate in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and basically turn Charlie's world upside down for the better.

For the first time in his life, Charlie has friends, is trying new things, and feels like he belongs. But, the problem with participating is that living life is so much more confusing when you are stuck in the middle of it instead of watching from the sidelines.

What did I like or not like?

I have recently found that I really, really like stream of consciousness novels (which this one happens to be). The honest, babbly, uncertain questions and statements that the character makes really give a great look at who that character really is.

This novel deals with drugs, drinking, sex, homosexuality, and all the other things that typical, modern teens deal with and experience. But, I agree with my friend when he said that it deals with many hard topics, and yet deals with them well.

Infographics: Make Your Own!

Has anybody noticed that Infographics are everywhere? Now don't get me wrong. I love infographics. In fact, I have a Pinterest board full of them. But have you ever wondered what it would take to make one of those? Luckily easel.ly and infogr.am make it remarkably simple and free (if you set up an online account at no charge) =D

Easel.ly

From what I've seen, this program does a really nice job making visually and aethetically pleasing infographics. You can change the size and shape of the font, the graphics, and the clip art. While there are plenty of templates to choose from, you can also start from scratch.

Infogr.am

Instead of focusing on the visual side of an infographic, this site focuses on the data side. You can either enter data onto the website which will change the graphs and visuals it makes for you, or you can upload data from a document that will change the graphs as well. Pretty cool, no?

Now, I haven't had the time to make an infographic using these sites, but this video does a nice job of explaining and showing these services step-by-step. Thank you Kathy Ishazuka from TheDigitalShift for making it. Enjoy!

Book Hedgehogs: Altered Books Again

So last year, we had our first experience with Altered Books by making collages. This year, we played with altered books again, but made some Book Hedgehogs instead.

Now, before you get too impressed with me, I didn't come up with this idea. I just stole it hehe. I do find that I can be moderately creative. But, there are so many people out there that are extraordinarily creative that I just bask in the awesomeness of their ideas.

I saw some pictures of Avengers Book Hedgehogs on Pinterest, so I looked up directions for them on Google. The website, Cut Out + Keep, gave some easy-to-follow instructions.

Basically, you take a book around 100 pages long (or chop up a book until it is about 100 pages long), fold a page in half, and then fold the corners down into triangles. Once you've done it once, you keep going until the entire book looks like ours =D

Now, that might seem incredibly boring, but our library participants had a great time with it. They were thrilled with the final results, and they were chatting up a storm while they were making them. Ultimately, the kids being able to provide their own conversation while folding made the program work, but the finished hedgehogs are also totally worth it!

Chopsticks: Love (F)or the Piano

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral

Why did I read it?

A photo as the cover caught my attention, and then I realized that the entire novel was told in pictures and scrapbook style pages. Legit!

What happened?

Glory was always fantastic at playing the piano. Her father has been training her since she was a very little girl, and at age 15, she is already playing sold-out concerts in fancy venues. But, Glory is lonely. Her mother also died when she was very young, and music is all she has now.

That is, until Frank moves in next door. He's the bad boy; the guy who messages her late at night, the guy making her mix tapes, and the guy that brings her out of her music back into the real world.

But, Glory's Dad has other plans. He'd rather have her focus on her music instead of some guy next door. Whisking her away to Europe seems like the best way to get her back on track. But, will she ever be able to give her entire life to music again when she would rather give it to Frank?

What did I like or not like?

The idea of having an entire novel told through photographs was pretty awesome. It isn't done too often, and the photographs themselves are awesome! The entire book felt very artistic, which fit with Glory's pursuing a piano career, but it also felt homemade and down-to-earth.

The only drawback for me was that you weren't exactly sure how the story ended. I have some assumptions and I think the story leads up to what I think happened. But it is one of those ones that you can't be entirely sure about.

I think you should read it and then tell me how you think it ended =D

P.S. There is a little bit of language and nude pencil sketches.

Booklamp: Like Pandora for Your Books

Anybody familiar with the Music Genome Project? How about Pandora? Basically, the Music Genome Project is the science that makes Pandora work. Experts take a look at over 450 different musical characteristics for each song that is in the MGP database, and this data is used by Pandora to find music that is right up your musical alley.

Well, what if I told you that the same kind of thing exists for books? Pretty cool, no? Booklamp is the front end of the Book Genome Project, just like Pandora is the front end for the Music Genome Project. The Book Genome Project takes a look at the language, story, and characters in a book, and turns them into information that can be used to find similar books to what you are already reading.

The Book Genome Project uses computer intelligence to come up with data points on a scene by scene basis. BGP calls this collection of data the BookDNA, and the BGP gives you book suggestions that are similar to the BookDNA of the book you are interested in, or let's you find books that are similar to a specific piece of the book you like.

For example, The Maze Runner by James Dashner has a huge chunk of Tunnels/Combined Spaces/Underground Environments in its StoryDNA, and Pacing is one of the higher points in the LanguageDNA. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has Partying/Deviance as one of its top points in StoryDNA, and Pacing is also one of the highest points in its LanguageDNA.

The Book Genome Project is adding new titles constantly, so see if your favorite books are on it and see if it works for you to find your next favorite book =D