Next up in this exploration of support as an issue in and barrier to technology programming for teens and youth gets down to brass tacks. Get out your pencils!

Part of knowing what you need is acknowledging that you have, within your reach, certain types of support already. For some, this acknowledgement is a huge step. It means that one excuse for not proceeding – not having the support and resources you need – no longer exists.

“But wait!” you’re saying, “I don’t have support! I’ve got zero budget as it is, and they just thrust this on me with no more time off desk to plan, and it’s not like my program closet’s full of Minestorms or anything!” Ok, ok, that’s valid. Still, within that we start to see a structure emerge of what you currently have, as well as what you lack. Like, for starters, you’ve got a program closet!

In all seriousness though, it helps to make a list. Consider what you might add to the following categories:

Things I have:

People

• Who in the building can help me? Who can I bounce ideas off of?
• Who do I know nearby with skills I could draw on?
• What kids do I know who would definitely be excited about STEM programs?
• Who here in the building wants this effort to be successful?

Ideas

• What programs am I already doing that use STEM?
• What programs am I already doing that could incorporate STEM?
• What programs have I heard or read about that sound interesting?
• What resources (books, websites, Pinterest boards) can I draw upon?

Time and Funds

• When do I usually plan my programs? How much time do I spend planning programs now?
• Will STEM programs supplement our current schedule or replace less successful offerings?
• How can I streamline any planning processes (order kits instead of assembling piecemeal? use program plans that someone else has created? use a peer-leadership structure?)?
• What additional time will I need to start doing STEM programs (consider workshop attendance, idea generation, practice time, shopping time, etc)?
• What can I give up or delegate to make this time?
• What is my budget for supplies and resources?

If you work through this thought exercise, you may realize that you already have more than you thought you did. You’ll probably also note some gaps. This is what you need. Knowing where these gaps are is going to help you narrow your focus when seeking support. If you can sit down with the powers that be and confidently say “In order to do three STEM programs a quarter, I’m going to need someone else to take half of my Tuesday afternoon desk shift this month. I’d like coworker X to be off desk one of those afternoons too because I could use her expertise to help plan more efficiently. Given the budget of $30, I can do programs 1 and 2, but if there’s another $20 somewhere, I could serve this many more kids or offer program 3 also.”

A lot of this ties back in to the advocacy pieces recently discussed but here, the need for STEM is more or less assumed and you’re advocating for support. Knowing and then articulating what you need demonstrates a few different things. It shows that you’ve put thought into the overall approach you’re going to take. It points out the time and budget realities of revamping your program plan or adding a whole new type of programming. And it clarifies for you what you are going to need in order to proceed toward success.

A bit ago, Michelle discussed the advocacy piece of the tech programming puzzle. Now it’s time to take a look at another part: support.

Let’s acknowledge right off the bat that for many of us, incorporating STEM elements into our programming efforts can feel awkward and forced. Maybe you feel resentful at being asked to do something that you don’t feel equipped for, or something that you don’t think fits in with the rest of your library’s programming portfolio. If it’s different from your natural programming inclinations, it can feel like being asked to do storytime with one hand tied behind your back. In Mandarin. Or maybe you’re eager to try new things, but don’t know where to start and are doing this all alone. Having that spark but nothing to fuel it can be really isolating too.

Exploring concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math somewhere in our program offerings is no longer optional, and that means that some of us are being pushed out of our comfort zones. But, we’re all in the same boat. And let’s be honest: two important things that we need when we’re being pushed out of our comfort zones or adrift are people we can vent to and people who can cheerlead us into a better place.

Finding the people who can do this for you is one of the first steps into successfully attempting STEM programs, and I’m going to suggest that you look for people that will allow you to do both. These are the people with the right mix of pragmatism and optimism to acknowledge the difficulties and work to find ways to overcome them. Support folks like this might be in your department, in your library, in your local networking groups, and they’re certainly online. (Hint: you’ve found some of them here.)

The point is that they’re [we’re] out there. We’re in this together and we’re in this for the long haul. In libraries, the way we do things may be in constant flux, but the reasons why we do them never change. We work for our communities, with our communities, to connect them with resources and help them explore and learn from the world around them, whether it’s in fictional worlds, or in understanding the water cycle, or in teaching a robotic ball to do a dance.

Knowing that you’re not doing it alone will help in a few different ways. Finding your people will

• connect you with new ideas, new ways of doing things, and new products and services.
• give you peers to be accountable to, which will keep you moving forward.
• let you see that not everything works for everyone, and give you a chance to learn from others’ experiences.
• reduce the feelings of isolation and shouting into the void that come with trying something new when your footing it a little shaky.
• be fun. Really.

The Robot Test Kitchen came together last year as a result of a grant project. We’re thrilled to be helping others embrace technology programming in their own ways, but the truth is that some of us might not be doing nearly as much as we are doing if we lacked the support we’ve found in each other, and in others in our online and local communities. Everyone can do this. It’s just a matter of taking the first step. Reaching out and finding your people is a great first step. And let us know if you’re stumped! We’re your people too.