Altadena Library Awarded $30,000 “Pitch An Idea” Grant

The Altadena Library has been awarded $30,000 from the Pitch an Idea grant, which is awarded annually by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and administered by the California State Librarian.

The funds will be used to expand Altadena Library’s teen makerspace, the monthly DIY Club, at the main library. DIY Club kicked off January 2014, and it has continued to be a staple of teen programming ever since.

The grant will pay for exciting new technology like Macbook Pros with film editing software, 3D printers, film making equipment, and sewing machines, all supplemented by print resources to increase the technological side of our makerspace, which has focused on lower-tech activities like string art, duct tape crafts, and hand sewing stuffed animals.

“Our mission is to improve society, and specifically our community, through facilitating knowledge creation” said Mindy Kittay, the Libraries District Director. “We have been doing this, and I believe doing it well, on a shoestring budget. But now with these additional funds we will be able to create a more advanced place of learning and making for our teens.”

The library will offer several workshop series to introduce the new technology. Our first workshop in a series is “Film Making 101” taught by Kent Yoshimura, film editor and producer on September 11th. We will offer monthly filmmaking workshops throughout the fall. We will also hold 5 sewing workshops, taught by Assistant fashion designer and FIDM graduate Koalani Walkoe. In the winter, the library will teach the art of taking oral histories, and hold 3D printing workshops.

Altadena students in middle and high school will learn new skills that support STEM curriculum, help with finding vocations and strengthen their knowledge of and comfort with 21st century technology.

This project is supported in whole or in part by a California State Library grant supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. For more information about participating in DIY Club workshops please contact Teen Librarian Carrie Wilson at (626) 798-0833 ext. 108 or cwilson@altadenalibrary.org.

The Altadena Library is located at 600 East Mariposa Street, Altadena. For more information please call (626) 798-0833. For a schedule of events, visit the library on the web at www.altadenalibrary.org.