"Good Stuff" at the Dayton Library

DAYTON – Dayton Memorial Library children's librarian Carolyn Laib doesn't need a watch to know what time school lets out. The library's newly remodeled basement quickly filling with children is clue enough. The new kid-friendly space is now filled with fun activities and will soon see the addition of a LEGO robotics program, courtesy of a Washington State Library/Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant.

The library's newly reconfigured space makes the downstairs more kid-friendly while keeping the upstairs adult-friendly, Laib said. The downstairs is now sectioned into specific areas for Pre-K through early elementary, elementary school, and teens. Each area is filled books and fun resting places such as a giant "Tall Tale Chair" for the little kids, a cool bistro-style table for elementary aged visitors, and a funky couch for the teens.

Laib has also filled each space with fun activities. When The Times visited last week, the library filled as several children headed off to play with blocks and LEGOS, a group of boys played interactive games at the computer table, and two teen girls began making duck tape wallets at the craft table. Others browsed books or sat around visiting.

The library also coordinates with teachers when possible. Elementary teacher Wendy Richards has students complete a "pizza wheel" reading books from 20 different genres over the course of six weeks. Laib has a table with books sorted from each genre so that it's easy for students to find what they need to complete the project.

Laib says she generally sees 15-20 children in the library once school lets out. "I think of it as an after-school place to be, and I'd like to get more organized activities as time goes on. With so many kids coming here we might as well have some good stuff going on," she said.

Included in that "good stuff" will soon be a LEGO Mindstorm Robotics Kit, which includes five laptops, a projector, six LEGO Mindstorm core sets, and six expansion sets. Dayton was selected as one of four libraries in Washington State to receive the sets through a Washington State Library (WSL) Exploring Technology grant.

WSL created the grant to empower libraries as exploration centers for youth and to help youth increase their science, technology, engineering, and math skills through interaction with the kits. They believe that access is the best starting point for technology education.

"Everyone at the library worked really hard on writing this grant," Laib said.

Library Director Dusty Waltner said they plan to use the Mindstorm LEGO kits to implement a Robotics Mentor Program. The library will collaborate with Principal Shaber and Kristina Knebel, who teaches high school robotics, to implement the long-term program.

"Our plan is to recuit high school students and train and guide them to act as mentors for middle school students. The high school students will gain skills in developing the library robotics program and reinforce STEM content through their experience of mentoring younger kids. As an added bonus, the program will foster community involvement for our youth," Waltner said.

Waltner anticipates that the library will receive the kits sometime in November and will begin the high school guidance and training phase of the program in December. Middle school students should be able to sign up for the program in January.