Salmon Public Library

Enhancing the lives of our community members by providing access to information.

  • Home
  • Programs
    • Kids
      • Summer Reading Registration
      • Summer Reading Information
    • Teens
    • Adults
      • Let’s Talk About It
      • Bookfolk Challenge
        • Categories
        • Log Sheet
  • Schedule
    • Large Meeting Room
    • Small Meeting Room
    • Sound Recording Room
  • Resources
    • Lili Databases
    • In-House
    • Check-Out
  • Newspapers
  • About
    • Hours Of Operation
    • Staff
    • Board Of Trustees
      • Library Board Meetings
    • Contact
  • Support
    • FAQ
    • Make A Donation
    • Volunteer
    • Read At Story Hour

Make It – Results Are Always Unexpected

May 24, 2016 By Salmon Library Staff Leave a Comment

A Gift That Keeps Giving
Being part of the “Make-It” experiment at Salmon Public Library has been truly gifting to me. Of the course of six months I’ve learned how to interact in ways never before taught whether it’s through facilitating a child to reach their potential or encouraging an adult to get over the fear of technology. As I chart my way through this landscape of STEM programming and it’s relationship with libraries I’m finding so many unexpected turns that bring me sheer delight offering me a sense of accomplishment I never got from a previous corporate environment.

Anytime a patron (most likely a child) comes in to interact with the Maker Space I created in the corner to participate in some “challenge” I’ve set for them, I feel like a proud papa. While they are getting an added benefit from attending the library I get overjoyed that someone is using something I’ve created. I love to wander over and see the struggles and triumphs of each as they manipulate the tools present and watch their brains analyze problems and come up with potential solutions I honestly never thought of. Yesterday in the “Marble Maze” challenge again a young out of the box future Maker stunned me. After my straight forward thinking about making a marble maze like the one’s we’d created in our conference was imminent I was struck by the creativity of this young boy. He said, “Well at first I thought I had to create it so the marble would drop from the top and fall down the board, but it does say marble “maze” and this is more of a maze.” He build a flat labyrinth maze complete with balancing levels to navigate the marble through the maze. Pure genius. I beamed with delight. It’s these type of results that I could never plan for, never expect, and yet when they come, it makes me want to engage more. Of course it’s a maze, and had I called it a Marble Run this result may have never been possible. After first getting down on himself for not interpreting directions I explained to him the magic of the Maker Space. In which there is no “right” way, it’s your way. What you create is your vision. And your vision is brilliant. He then offered me to attempt his marble maze in which I failed many times before bringing the marble back home.

So thank you to all who participate. This has truly been a lesson in life, like most are, but the reflections have come faster then most other lessons. Keep up the ingenuity and excitement as I will try and keep up the challenges. Until the next challenge!

MazeMaze
KendallKendall

Filed Under: Our Stories

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search Catalog
Search for:
Search by:
Title
Author
Keyword
Donate With Paypal

The Salmon Library is continuing to innovate and create interesting ways to engage youth in our community . Help support our efforts!

Rather send a check?

Click here to print our donation form: SPLdonorform.10.13

Paypal box

Community Links
  • Visit Salmon Valley
  • Steel Memorial Hospital
  • Salmon High School
  • Sacajawea Center
  • Lemhi County Economic Development Association
  • City of Salmon
  • Salmon Arts Council
  • Salmon Valley Stewardship
  • Lemhi County Museum
  • To Renew / Hold Books (Log In Here)

    This website and program are brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and made possible, in part, by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

    Institute of Museum and Library Services Idaho Commission for Libraries

    Top | Log in