ALA Conference 2009: Science in the Library

By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 7/11/2009 10:32:00 PM

Whether you're science shy or dying to embrace your inner Einstein, LEAP into Science can help your library become a better place for teaching and learning science.

Thanks to a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation that began in 2007, the Free Library of Philadelphia and the city's Franklin Institute Science Museum have teamed up to develop a program that explores how science and literacy are connected and how to better engage kids and families in both these areas.

The goal is to help librarians and their after-school visitors "experience science in a natural nonthreatening way" by using the Franklin Institute’s strength in science programming and the library’s expertise in children’s literature to connect science and books, says Dale McCreedy, director of Gender and Family Learning at the Franklin Institute, during a presentation at the American Library Association’s annual conference in Chicago from July 9 to 15.

The library is the perfect place for informal science programs because it’s fully equipped with books, Internet access, and is designed to support kids' scientific exploration.

The hope is LEAP into Science will serve as a model program for other libraries to build a keen interest in science and engage children, youth leaders, after-school staff, and families.

To find out more about the project, email LEAPTeam@fi.edu and write "LEAP into Science Conference" in the subject line. 
___________________________________________________________________________________

Click here for more ALA 2009 Conference News coverage from Library Journal and School Library Journal.