STEM at the Library

by Jennifer Nicholson  Rowan Public Library

Most of us have heard of the acronym STEM, from teachers, leaders in education, scientists, to even presidents of the United States.  But what does that really mean?  STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; another acronym that is sometimes used alternately is STEAM, which includes Art.  But what does this really mean, and why is STEM or STEAM so important?

In March 2015, then President Barack Obama said, "[Science] is more than a school subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of waves. It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world...".  STEM is not just studying these set subjects, but rather a different way of thinking.  The US Department of Education stated it best as, “In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex, where success is driven not only by what you know, but by what you can do with what you know, it’s more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and make sense of information.” STEM education is about critical thinking, observation, and creativity.

Projections done by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2010-2020 predicts employment in STEM related fields to grow by 18.7%, while other career fields are predicted by 14.3%.  Meaning STEM is becoming the future, thus, the reason for the US Department of Education to create new initiatives to help recruit more teachers focused on STEM and improving STEM education in preschools and in elementary schools to help better prepare our children for the future.

However, this initiative is not only being seen in schools and preschools, but also after school care, extracurricular activities, and also within public libraries.  The Rowan Public Library has been making great strives this year in creating programs and finding resources that are STEM focused.  RPL has also been recipients of several grants this year, including one with the partnership of Catawba College Teacher Education Department, has helped create and boost our makerspace or “The Coop”, to include Makey-Makeys, Raspberry Pi, and a green screen for film making, to name just a few items.  Another grant was given to RPL from the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), which has allowed RPL to purchase several robots to help boost STEM and coding programing, for children as young as 4 years old and up to 11 years old.  RPL has been and will continue to host several events in which families and children can come, meet, and play with robots.  RPL will host a Preschool Robotics program on Saturday, April 7^th at 11:00 am at the East Branch, Rockwell location.  Children and families can come and meet Cubetto, a wooden robot, that requires no special device or screen technology to code.  Come join Cubetto has he goes on specialize adventures, with his own storybook and map!

RPL also this year has been a recipient of the Star Party kit part of the 2018 North Carolina Science Festival, which is supported from the North Carolina Space Grant and produced by UNC’s Morehead Planetarium and Science Center.  RPL is one of 37 sites to receive this kit, with this year being the first year that the NC Science Festival has included public libraries, making RPL one of 6 public libraries in the state to receive this kit.  RPL will be hosting the Star Party and celebrating everything space related on Friday, April 20^th from 7:30 pm-10:30 pm, at South Rowan Regional Library, China Grove.  For information or to find more science theme activities in North Carolina, please check out the NC Science Festival website at: https://www.ncsciencefestival.org/ or RPL’s website at www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.

Want to play with more robots?  What happens when robots meet Legos?  RPL will host a STEAM into Adventure: Robots and Legos event on Saturday, April 28^th at 11:00 am.  Children 5-11 years old, and families can come and play with Lego WeDo 2.0, Dash, and Cubelets, and see what happens if you mix them!  How well can robots and Legos get along?

For more information on upcoming STEM programs and other programs, please check out our website at www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.

Jennifer Nicholson

Library Notes

 by Amber Covington Rowan Public Library

Libraries are organizations that offer free or low cost resources to people in the community. At Rowan Public Library, there are many ways the community uses the three library branches in Rowan County. People gather together to hold monthly meetings of their social clubs, students of all ages gather to study or complete assignments, businesses host hiring events, families gather to attend storytimes, property owners research the history of their property, chairs and tables are filled with people using the wireless internet from a mobile device, computer terminals are used by people completing online applications, and avid readers roam the aisles for their next read.

Current users of the library are dedicated patrons that support the mission of the library to provide information to all and are the best way to promote the services provided at our branches. As our society and social norms change over time it is critical that libraries stay relevant and aware of its community. A powerful tool that can be utilized to share the services libraries provide is social media (I.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and blogs). Each platform provides a way for libraries to share its services to people globally. Anyone can search the Internet and locate a page created by Rowan Public Library to find out about upcoming storytimes, book club meetings, special events, pictures, and ways to get involved in activities at each library branch. Maintaining social media pages are low cost ways to share information with our digital, ever changing society.

Spread the word about upcoming events at our libraries: like and share the library’s social media accounts by following @rowanpubliclibrary on Facebook, @RPL_Adults on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to the Rowan Public Library’s channel on Youtube.

Library Notes

by Laurie Lyda Rowan Public Library

If you’ve wandered through the children’s department at any of Rowan Public Library’s branches (Headquarters in Salisbury, East in Rockwell, and South Rowan Regional in China Grove), then you know that displays are common. Children’s staff put a lot of time and energy into creating displays that accentuate areas of their collection.

Holiday displays are especially popular with patrons. For St. Patrick’s Day, South Rowan Regional’s children’s staff created a fun display with a variety of books about the history of the day and variations on the legends related to St. Patrick.

One of the books is “St. Patrick’s Day” by Gail Gibbons. This early reader book, originally published in 1994, addresses the holiday’s history, mentioning Patrick’s presumed birth in Britain in 380 CE, his work in the church, and his death on March 17, 461 CE and subsequent sainthood, bestowed by the Catholic Church. Gibbons also addresses the tradition of wearing green on March 17, the legends about leprechauns, and other ways people celebrate the day.

“Harp O’Gold,” written by Teresa Bateman and illustrated by Jill Weber, is also designed for early readers. The cautionary tale shares the story of Tom, an Irish minstrel, who trades his loved wooden harp for one of gold, only to learn that while the gold one (and its tinny music) brought riches and fame, it also cost his freedom. Will Tom learn his lesson? Will he be able to get his wooden harp back and live a life of warmth, happiness, and music?

There are also non-holiday books on display, as well. Gloria Houston’s “My Great-Aunt Arizona,” illustrated by Susan Condie Lamb, pays tribute to Houston’s great-aunt and to the impact and influence of teachers everywhere. Arizona was born in a log cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and while she never went to the “faraway places” that she dreamed of, she touched the lives of generations and, as Houston writes, “travels with me and with those of us whose lives she touched…She goes with us in our minds.”

Among my new favorites is “I Love It When You Smile,” written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Charles Fuge. The tale of a grumpy little Roo who resists his mother’s efforts to cheer him up is adorable, and the illustrations complement the story well, with Fuge capturing Roo’s grumpiness perfectly. Roo’s mother finally makes him smile after an accident that involves a muddy hole and results in two mud-covered kangaroos. The book’s closing “I love it when you smile” sentiment leaves the reader with a smile, too.

Other children’s books guaranteed to make someone smile include the Pete the Cat series. Created by James Dean, many of the books are a collaboration between Kimberly and James Dean and Eric Litwin. Pete the Cat is a mellow feline, who stars in stories that teach early readers about moving along “because it’s all good” and how to make new friends when they’re very different from you.

A less mellow cat is the star of Nick Bruel’s Bad Kitty series, which I always find hilarious (perhaps because I’ve been guardian to a “bad kitty” more than once in my life). Bad Kitty wants to be Good Kitty, but life throws her curve balls (hair balls?) that waylay her efforts sometimes. Her adventures include a review of the alphabet that will be useful for early readers.

The next time you visit your nearest branch of RPL, take a moment to peruse the children’s department’s displays. Whether you’re reading for yourself, for a child, or for a classroom, there are plenty of fun titles to be enjoyed. For those who don’t have time for in-person perusals, visit the catalog via www.rowanpubliclibrary.org. If you have an RPL card in good standing, you can place books on hold and have them ready for pick-up at your nearest branch (you’ll receive a notification when they’re ready). You will need to know your four-digit pin number, so if you’ve forgotten that, call an RPL branch or stop by during business hours to reset it.

NC LIVE Resources

by Edward Hirst  Rowan Public Library

Rowan Public Library provides access to a number of high quality business resources through our partnership with NC LIVE, a consortium of 200 member libraries across North Carolina. They offer free electronic access to resources for all ages on topics ranging from careers, business, and investing, to health, history, and genealogy. Ebooks, audiobooks, videos, magazines, newspapers, journals, language-learning tools, and other online materials available through NC LIVE are designed for at-home use, and are available from any Internet connection via library websites, and through NCLIVE.org. All North Carolinians may use NC LIVE resources.

The ABI/INFORM Collection for business research is the gold standard when it comes to business research databases. Full text articles are availalbe for the following journals: Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Economic Literature, Journal of International Business Studies,American Economic Review, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, The Economist and US News & World Report. Subjects covered through ABI/INFORM include Business, Economic Conditions, Accounting, Finance, Economic conditions, and Management Theory. ABI/INFORM is available through NC LIVE and provided by ProQuest, s a world leader in serving the information needs of researchers around the world.

Morningstar Investment Research Center available through NC LIVE is an investing resource for collecting finacial information, learning about investment options, and reading up to date financial news commentary. Morningstar provides research and independent opinions on thousands of mutual funds and stocks. It also includes access to an Investing Classroom, that includes access to over one hundred courses on stocks, funds and building your portfolio.

With US Newsstream you are able to search the most recent US news with archives that go back to 1980. US Newsstream includes content from newspapers, newswires, and blogs. US Newsstream offers access to one of the largest collections of local and regional newspapers as well as access to the LA Times and Chicago Tribune.

ReferenceUSA is a database that provides access to information for over fifty million US businesses. Businesses can be search by size, type, and geographic location, and more. It is useful for accessing information about corporations, associations, mailing addresses, telephone numbers, potential employers and suppliers. The information is updated monthly. Reference USA also provides access to Canadian business information, the US White Pages with access to 156 million US residents, and US Healthcare with information on 1.2 million physicians and dentists.

You can access resources by visiting rowanpubliclibrary.org or nclive.org. Just use your card number and PIN.

Learn more about life hacks for a clean home

by Abby Hardison  Rowan Public Library


A common trend on social media and pop culture websites for several years has been the propagation of “life hacks,” also called “life pro tips,” where folks share their improvised, inexpensive or especially clever ideas to make life easier.

This is not a new concept. Domestic goddess Heloise (and her mother before her, also Heloise) has been doling out her famous “Hints” for decades in newspapers and magazines.

Websites such as Pinterest and Facebook are full of household tips and tricks to make life cheaper, easier, cleaner and more organized, by using paper towel rolls, shoe organizers and wall hooks, among other things.

RPL has some great books on organizing the home, including Marie Kondo’s bestseller “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” (2011), but getting rid of stuff isn’t the only way to streamline your life and home. Repurposing and reusing items, or upcycling, as it’s also called, is another way to take items that you don’t need and turn them into things you never thought possible!

A great example is Yankee Magazine’s 2004 book “Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs & More,” which is chock full of all sorts of ideas that will make you say “Huh!” Another cool book in the collection is “Making it: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World” (2012), by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, which has everything from making your own cleaning products to cheap gardening projects.

On March 5, from 6-7:30 p.m. at our Salisbury headquarters on West Fisher Street, we are showcasing our collection of books to bring out your inner Heloise and make the Pinterest people jealous.

We’ll show you organization ideas for every room with repurposed and attractive items, such as cardboard boxes turned into chic storage containers with a little contact paper and paint.

Rein in your bathroom vanity area with drawer organizers meant for tableware, and use a tension rod under the sink to hang all your spray bottles.

To find out more and see pictures, you’ll just have to come and see us at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 5 at the library. For more information, check out www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.

Relationships

by Paul Birkhead  Rowan Public Library

      In this month dedicated to love and relationships, there are several items you should check out at Rowan Public Library.  Whether you are in love with someone, still looking, or just want to connect better with others, there are many books available that I hope catch your eye.

      Life is a constant series of interactions with fellow humans.  Even with our close friends, most of us are content with pleasant, shallow relationships.  Does the banal phrase “How are you?” roll off your tongue without much thought?  For those who want something deeper, tools that can help you build and strengthen bonds with others can be found in Danny Silk’s book, Keep Your Love On!  Silk emphasizes the key to solid relationships is control.  Not control over others, but yourself.  The book is split into three sections: connection, communication, and boundaries.  Mastering each will make you a powerful person and the effect on your relationships will be life-changing.

      A book that Danny Silk gives a lot of credit to helping relationships is The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.  First published in 1995, the book has sold millions and been on the New York Times Best Seller list for almost two decades.  The book has launched several spin-off titles for singles, children, and even the workplace.  According to Chapman, everyone has a primary and a secondary love language.  Love languages are ways to express and experience love.  The five are: Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Acts of Service, Quality Time, and Physical Touch.  Figuring out which language to speak to your spouse, child, or coworker will transform your relationship with them.

      Speaking of working on relationships, a new title just came in and I thought it was very interesting.  Southern Girl Meets Vegetarian Boy is a cookbook by Damaris Phillips.  Damaris had a big problem.  She was a Southern chef who happened to fall in love with a vegetarian.  In her traditional recipes, meat was everything from a flavoring, to a side dish, to the main entree.  For him, going meatless was an ethical choice.  This cookbook is a bridge between their two culinary worlds.  Chickpea & Dumpling Stew anyone?  How about Scalloped Potatoes & Ham-ish or Gouda & Pistachio Vegetarian Sausage?  While the recipes are probably not something I would attempt, I respect how Damaris altered something very important to her, her style of cooking, to accommodate her partner.

      Do you want proof that love can flourish in the harshest of circumstances?  Look no further than the book by Rod Nordland called, The Lovers: Afghanistan's Romeo and Juliet, the True Story of How They Defied Their Families and Escaped an Honor Killing.  This is the story of Zakia and Ali who grew up together but were from different religious sects.  Defying religious and social customs, they fell in love and began their harrowing journey not only to stay together but to stay alive.

      Stop by Rowan Public Library this month and pick up some items that celebrate the gift of relationships.
     

Blast from the Past

by  Gretchen Beilfuss Witt  Rowan Public Library

                Ever get a hankering to reminisce about the majorette from the high school band,  the varsity football squad or how accurate the superlative choices were.    Do you wonder what your parents looked like when they were in high school?   You could discover the answer in the Rowan Public Library collection of annuals.   RPL has a collection of annuals, predominantly high school annuals which have been acquired primarily through donations over the years and are kept as part of the History Room collection.   As such they are available for perusal only in the History Room and not for checkout.    The History Room also has a few yearbooks from middle schools or junior high schools and elementary schools.   Included in the collection are annuals from schools that no longer exist, for example Rowan Memorial Hospital Nursing School, Rowan Technical Institute, Dunbar and the Farm Life School.    Recently, the History Room had the annuals from 1921 through 1967 for Salisbury High/Boyden High School digitized.  These annuals are available online by through a link on the History Room webpage.   Once on the RPL website, choose History & Genealogy, the menu will give a number of choices for items – choose The Echo 1921-1967.  Clicking on this link will bring up “Digital NC” which is hosting our yearbooks.   From this page look to the upper left and find a box with a graduation cap and the word “Yearbooks”; click on that box and a chronologically listing of the yearbooks will appear.  Choose which year to look at and the book will appear in the “Internet Archive” book reader mode – basically this allows you to flip pages as though you had the book in front of you rather than viewing it as one long document in a computer file. 

                The History Room would like to continue having the county yearbooks digitized and made available.  Dunbar and J.C. Price are two of the more popular high schools, unfortunately, the collection is not complete.    Former Dunbar principal Ezra Gilliam was kind enough to give RPL many of the Dunbar annuals including the first annual created in 1950 consequently  the library is missing only 1952 and 1953 of the Dunbar High School annuals.   Price High School served as a high school exclusively from 1932 to 1969 yet RPL has only a handful of the Price yearbooks.  The first decade is missing completely and the History Room has less than half of the remaining yearbooks between 1942 and 1969. 

A number of institutions in the county, Woodleaf or Granite Quarry for example, were high schools in the early 1900s but then were converted to other uses as the school system grew.   The library would love to have any yearbooks that are from a current or past school operating in Salisbury and Rowan County.  Anyone who has annuals that they would be willing to donate to the library or who would be willing to lend the annuals for a period of time in order to get them digitized, please contact Gretchen Witt, Supervisor of the Edith M. Clark History Room.   In the meantime, enjoy the Salisbury/Boyden high school annuals now available online.