Category: Digital

Science, Technology Will Save Us and Fun Palaces

Technology Will Save Us

What? Technology Will Save Us make gadgets you can make and code yourself. DIY and resources kits to learn new skills, make cool things and start the journey to becoming a tech maker.

Our relationship with technology needs to be addressed as it is designed to become obsolete. Technology needs to be more about making, rather than simply consumption. Aimed to bring people’s
passions to life using technology.

Designed with nine gadget kits, following research with young people in schools and with a focus on core technology skills.

The kits include:

  • DIY Electro Dough Kit
  • DIY Thirsty Plant Kit
  • DIY Gamer Kit
  • DIY Speaker Kit

Purpose? ‘We are on a mission to provide families, educators and young people – of all ages, backgrounds and interests – new opportunities to learn and create using technology.’

Target audience? Teachers, Schools, Families, Makers

How might it be used? Partnerships with schools, Digital Summer School (Wigan), After School Clubs

How to find out more? Technology Will Save Us, YouTube videos

Fun Palaces

What? Fun Palaces – Everyone an Artist, Everyone a Scientist!

Fun Palaces are fun events, combining arts and science, for and with local people – aimed at placing culture at the centre of communities.

In 2014 “3,183 Makers created Fun Palaces in their local communities which were enjoyed by 40,000 participants.”

The next Fun Palaces take place on 3rd and 4th October 2015

Purpose? “Fun Palaces are about fun and learning, participating and making together”.

Target audience? Anyone, everyone!

How might it be used? To engage and build partnerships with local artists and scientists to use our library spaces to create Fun Palaces for our local communities

How to find out more? Fun Palaces, 2014 evaluation (including case studies), Fun Palaces on Twitter.

Is there a gap across the South West? Here are the events that took place in 2014. 

Sharing the knowledge gained from the SCL Digital Leaders Pilot (facilitated by Ben Lee and Ethan Ohs from Shared Intelligence) with colleagues  – ideas, examples and inspiration.

eDays and Digital Skills Programme

What? As part of the Enterprising Libraries programme Gateshead Libraries demonstrated that innovation can contribute to economic wellbeing through access to education and digital skills.

  • Library run Computer-Coding and Robotics Club – learning to code, designing games.
  • eDays -public could access cutting edge technology and learn about their use with partners of  makerspace and local digital company
  • Digital careers event aimed at 12+

Purpose? Raised aspirations of children; greater take-up of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects; and increased profile for libraries’ role in promoting STEM and computer science, attract new audiencesto the library,grow membership, and change perceptions of what libraries have to offer

Target audience? Primary and secondary school aged children

How might it be used? Increase use by children and young people, raise profile of libraries as community spaces delivering skills, 21st century libraries, links with SCL Universal Learning Offer.

How to find out more? Enterprising Libraries: Gateshead

 

Sharing the knowledge gained from the SCL Digital Leaders Pilot (facilitated by Ben Lee and Ethan Ohs from Shared Intelligence) with colleagues  – ideas, examples and inspiration.

Social Media 

Sue Lawson, Service Development Coordinator, from Manchester Libraries  came along to the first session of the SCL Digital Leaders Pilot to enthuse us about social media and she did just that.

Facebook and Twitter

What? Social media that entertains as well as informs, give it a human feeling – have conversations and draw in information from other sources. 

Purpose? To make libraries accessible, open and visible. To raise the profile of library services, projects and events, and increase take up. To speak to customers in a more informal way. To encourage new members to join and  lapsed users to return.  To promote libraries online offer. To find communities of interest and share stories that will be of relevance to them. 

Target audience? Current users, potential users, local community, partners etc

How might it be used? Open up conversations and make quick connections (e.g. a local band “can we come and play at the library”), showcase hidden/buried content, reach new audiences. “The whole point is to post content people want to share“. 

How to find out more? Case study (Culture Hive)

Feedly

What? ‘A single place to read your favourite newspapers, magazines and blogs.’

Purpose? Sue uses Feedly to find new content for use on social media. 

Target audience? Anyone 

How might it be used? To keep up-to-date, to find content to enrich social media channels (create different folders with subject headings)

How to find out more? Feedly

Social Media Surgeries

What? Informal sessions to help charity, community or voluntary group to use social media effectively. Volunteer ‘surgeons/helpers’ share their knowledge and skills. Social Media Surgeries have been run in libraries across the country. 

Purpose? To support the third sector to make effective use of social media. 

Target audience? Charities, community and voluntary groups

How might it be used? To bring in new users

How to find out more? Social Media Surgeries, Recipe for staring a Social Media Surgery

 

Also check out:

  • Flipboard (Magazines) – Your personal magazine, Find, follow and flip stories that change your world. View LibraryCamp Flipboard Magazine.
  • WordPress Workshops
  • Google+ Hangouts – Bring your conversations to life with photos, emoji, and even group video calls and online chat for free.
  • See also Treehouse

Sharing the knowledge gained from the SCL Digital Leaders Pilot (facilitated by Ben Lee and Ethan Ohs from Shared Intelligence) with colleagues  – ideas, examples and inspiration.