POTSDAM -- Potsdam Public Library has received $500 from the American Library Association (ALA) to help plan and implement coding activities during Computer Science Education (CS Ed) Week 2018 (December 3-9) and beyond.

Potsdam Public Library is one of 250 school and public libraries around the country to receive this micro-funding from Libraries Ready to Code, an initiative of the American Library Association sponsored by Google.

“The Potsdam Public Library has been offering digital skills programming for adults and children for years because we know that this is one of our most important and most valued library services,” said Annie Chase, library director. “We’re grateful to be part of this nationwide effort to expand opportunities in this area, and we’re excited for CS Ed Week!”

Potsdam Public Library will use the funding to extend existing opportunities for youth to learn coding and critical thinking skills.

Library staff have previously offered coding workshops using Scratch and Minecraft Education in the library’s Cleveland Computer Center.

For the first time this year, staff were able to bring a Scratch-based coding project to 4th grade classes at Lawrence Avenue Elementary School.

“Libraries are the cornerstones of our communities,” said Nicky Rigg, Google program manager. “We are proud to include the Potsdam Public Library in our CS Ed Week activities this year. We hope these libraries will join the growing number of libraries excited to offer CS programs that help youth create, problem solve and develop the confidence and skills to succeed in their future careers.”

The 250 libraries selected for CS Ed Week funding will each host activities based on Google’s free CS First curriculum, which uses video-based instruction to introduce CS to kids through block-based coding.

Libraries will pursue projects that reflect Ready to Code themes critical for advancing youth learning, especially for building computational thinking literacies. The Ready to Code team estimates that the CS Ed Week funding will support more than 60,000 youth all around the country taking part in coding activities throughout the week.

Potsdam Public Library hopes to offer more coding opportunities onsite and through outreach programs.

The next library-based coding workshop for 4-6th graders will run January 10 - February 14, 3:30 - 4:30 PM.