Rogers, Bentonville Libraries Host Science Programs

ROGERS -- A volunteer science program piloted this spring at the Rogers Public Library is back to stay.

Libraries house books, but they also house knowledge, said Judy Casey, library director.

"Most children you mention math, and they go, 'aww'," Casey said, imitating a child's groans.

Math or science can be a set of narrow concepts in a child's mind, she said.

"They don't see the creative things they can do with it," she said.

This fall kids will build a marshmallow catapult and experience a toys in space theme day during STEM Saturdays at the library, Casey said.

The pilot program had children building miniature sailboats and parachuting padded eggs, said Swapnila Das, who coordinates volunteers for the Saturday activities. Das is a board member at the library, licensed psychologist and president of the Swasthan Seva Foundation. She initially created the Care-A-Child project to tutor children. Teens still tutor children on Saturdays at both the Rogers and Bentonville libraries.

The team began piloting science, technology, engineering and math based projects in April in Rogers, she said. There are more than 20 children every Saturday for the hands-on program, Das said. Volunteers first present information on the topic, then children come up with ideas on how to make their projects.

"The library is not just for reading. They have resources for everything. The books are on everything," Das said.

The ideas of practical science and math are always considered in programming at the Bentonville Public Library, said Sue Ann Pekel, children's librarian.

This summer they had a Giants of Science program that discussed lives of great scientists and allowed middle school children to repeat similar experiments. Brain Book Camp works off the idea of learning and projects. An upcoming Hour of Code program will teach children about binary code and technology.

"There's a million little ways to incorporate these activities," Pekel said. "It's not just story time anymore."

According to the Pew Research Center, 54 percent of Americans used a public library in the past year. Of those surveyed, 45 percent said they used the library for youth programs, and 74 percent rated teen and children's programming as important.

Libraries are a community center, Pekel said. The partnerships with places such as Crystal Bridges and the Amazeum and community involvement with Care-A-Child illustrate that, she said.

Bentonville Public Library has a study buddy program that allows children to read to a teen after school. Librarians separately partner with Care-A-Child to target literacy in kindergarten through fourth grade with English as a Second Language Learners, Pekel said.

Rogers uses the Care-A-Child program for both children who need tutoring help and advanced students, Das said.

Private tutors frequent libraries, but having an in-house program filled a hole for the Rogers library, Casey said. Parents request tutoring and programs. Those could expand if there were more room, she said. Das said more volunteers would be needed for expanding any programs.

If a child has a learning deficit it makes sense to tutor them at the library where they can take home a book for further study, Das said.

Building early interest in science, technology, engineering and math is important, Das said. Having a hands-on science program on Saturday develops interest that can bloom into careers later, Das said.

"You have a better outcome if you start at an early age," Das said.