91��ý

Today the 91��ý’s (91��ý) initiative, sponsored by Google, announced 10 libraries to receive a “Promising Practice” award for programs they designed for Computer Science Education (CS Ed) Week in December 2018.

• Allapattah Branch Library, Miami, Fla.
• Blythewood High School Library, Blythewood, S.C.
• Enosburg Elementary Library Media Center, Enosburg Falls, Vt.
• Maryvale High School, Phoenix, Ariz.
• McGuffey School District, Claysville, Penn.
• Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wis.
• Robious Elementary School, Midlothian, Va.
• Thomas Jefferson Library, Falls Church, Va.
• Vernon Verona Sherrill Middle School Library, Verona, N.Y.
• Woodworth Library, Fort Gordon, Ga.

Programs developed by the Promising Practice libraries connected to one or more of the Libraries Ready to Code themes: broadening participation, incorporating youth interests, engaging with communities and families, and demonstrating impact through outcomes.

“Libraries Ready to Code is all about providing opportunities for young people to follow their curiosity and develop skills that will help them succeed, whatever fields they pursue” said Marijke Visser, 91��ý project leader and associate director and senior policy advocate for the 91��ý Washington Office. “Opportunities for youth to learn these skills aren’t distributed equitably, and libraries are well-positioned to close the gap – especially those who are underexposed to new technology and underrepresented in CS fields.”

An 91��ý task force selected the Promising Practice recipients from a pool of which each $500 in microfunds to host a CS Ed Week program to encourage creativity in storytelling through CS activities for youth to incorporate their own interests while learning to code and developing computational thinking literacies. Libraries used one of several Google CS First activities and shared the results using #readytocode.

“Increasing diversity and inclusion in youth services that promote computational thinking is an equity issue for libraries,” said Visser.

One of four at 91��ý MidWinter 2019 will focus on addressing inequity by broadening participation in youth programs that support computational thinking literacies.