ERVING — Having been chosen to join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab’s cohort of Public Library Innovation Exchange (PLIX) Creative Learning Ambassadors, Erving Public Library Assistant Director Jean Daley will advocate for creative STEAM learning in libraries across the country.
The 20 chosen ambassadors represent a wide range of library professionals, but are united in their shared interest in offering creative science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics experiences for their communities. They also share enthusiasm for PLIX and its potential to transform library programming with its unique approach to hands-on STEAM learning.
According to the Erving Public Library, ambassadors will take on a leadership role in local communities as well as online in the PLIX Community of Practice. Collaborating with PLIX, they’ll be participating in a variety of ways, including sharing PLIX activities with their local communities, co-facilitating PLIX online workshops, and co-designing new STEAM activities around coding and artificial intelligence. The ambassadors program is made possible with funding from PLIX, and includes material resources and support for their efforts.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Jean,” Ada Ren-Mitchell, learning programs designer with PLIX, said in a statement. She added that Daley “will be part of a Community of Practice, sharing their experiences and ideas with other ambassadors to support the STEAM confidence of their public library peers across the United States.”
Daley, who will use the ambassadorship to learn more about creative programming and collaboration, said she’s “so excited to work with PLIX.”
“This is a wonderful opportunity to bring new ways of creative learning to our community,” Daley said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to sharing ideas with librarians from all over the country.”