Promote STEM at the Livermore Library as a Create Lab Maker Guide

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Create Lab Maker Guides work with children and their parents at the Livermore Public Library’s "Create Lab," a weekly makerspace (every Saturday morning) where children (grades K - 6) and their parents can drop in to create using a variety of tools.

Create Lab tools include a sewing machine at the textiles station, computers for coding and robotics, circuit blocks at the electricity station, a large wooden creative play station, and much more. The Library also provides cardboard, Perler beads, and other more traditional construction materials. Create Lab is an open learning environment where participants can be creative and take charge of their own learning. Maker Guides are there to provide expertise, ask encouraging questions, and demonstrate or lead an activity that teaches attendees a new skill.

Key Responsibilities

• Report to the Supervising Librarian of Youth Services regarding scheduling, and ideas for create station activities or improvements.
• Be present in the Create Lab room during the scheduled hours to assist children and their parents with their project. Ensure that the program functions smoothly with the assistance of present staff. Report material levels to staff when replacement is necessary.
• Arrive 15 minutes before the start of the program to set up the room; help tidy the room at the end of the scheduled program time.
• Participate in program evaluation by gathering participant feedback and communicating issues to library staff.

Training

A library staff member will provide general library training, in addition to specific information about Create Lab. Library staff will provide training in the types of questions to ask that foster deeper thinking, and will assist in creating activities.

Support

A library staff liaison will be available to answer questions about the program, reorder supplies, and enforce rules as needed.

Commitment

• A commitment of at least one Saturday per month for 6 months is required.
• Maker Guides work Saturdays from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

In addition to the above hours, approximately 15 minutes of setup and take down would be needed at the start and end of the program each day, for a total of 2.5 hours per shift.

Maker Guides are typically assigned to one station for the day, but depending on attendance and scheduled volunteers, may be asked to assist at multiple stations at once.

Skills and Qualifications

• 18 years of age or older
• possess excellent communication skills
• comfortable working with children
• patience and good sense of humor
• able to maintain discipline in a friendly manner while multi-tasking between various children and their projects
• able to ask questions that help participants arrive at an answer on their own, not always provide a direct answer

• Computer Station
  • Familiarity with Snap!, Scratch, and other block coding languages. These are the basic coding languages for younger patrons that are compatible with the Finch and Hummingbird Robotics Kits that are currently made available during Create Lab.
  • Most other coding languages/interfaces can be used for other projects, so long as it can be operated via the computer’s browser and would be appropriate for children ages 10 and younger. Equipment currently available is aging.
  • An interest in developing fun, self-led coding or robotics activities.
  • Familiarity or a willingness to learn how to operate a basic vinyl cutter.

• Jewelry Station
  • Familiarity with basic jewelry making techniques
  • Ability to develop projects that incorporate advanced jewelry making skills that are more than copying a template
  • Good organization skills to manage the materials in this station and notify library staff when materials require reordering

• Textiles Station
  • Sewing machine knowledge
  • Knitting and crocheting, and the ability to teach these skills
  • Ideas for incorporating tech available in this space into textile projects a plus

• General Construction
  • Comfortable encouraging open ended crafts that solve a problem
  • Develop self-led challenge cards for materials that are not make and take