By Middle School Services Librarian Beronica Puhr
Reimagining how we use technology is very important for families today. Below you’ll find equitable resources featuring safe and reliable tutorials that young adults and kids can use to make podcasts, Youtube videos, and coding.
Check out these digital titles
- The Book of Terrifyingly Awesome Technology by Sean Connolly, Kristyna Baczynski
- Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone
- La Energía Solar by David Armentrout & Patricia Armentrout
- Experiment #256 by Marty Kelley
- Firewall by Sean Rodman
- Hacks for TikTok by Kyle Brach
- In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
- Making YouTube Videos by Nick Willoughby
- Photoshop and Web Design Basic for Kids by Baby Professor
- Recording Podcasts by Kristin Fontichiaro & Rachael McLean
- STEAM Jobs in Robotics by Ruth M. Kirk
Create on your own
You can make your own games, stories, animations, podcasts, and even a simple electric circuit with these apps and websites:
- Anchor.fm: Create and share your podcast from any device. (Need ideas for a podcast? Check out this podcast created by teenagers: Teenager Therapy.)
- Museum of Science+Industry Chicago: Experiment – City Circuit: Build a simple electric circuit from aluminum foil and a string of holiday lights.
- Scratch: Program your own interactive stories, games, and animations.
- Stencyl: Create amazing games without code.
Check out these tech Discovery Kits
About Discovery Kits
More than 50 Discovery Kits with play-and-learn activities that encourage kids to explore nature, make art, practice coding, and even learn to play the ukulele are available for checkout at the Main Library.
To check out
- Place a hold on a Discovery Kit in the library’s catalog or browse the available kits at the Main Library in the Children’s Services Area.
- If you’ve placed a hold, wait until you receive notification that your hold is ready for pickup at the Main Library.
- Use the self-checkouts available on all three floors of the Main Library (but not in the lobby) to check out your kit.
- Enjoy the kit for up to three weeks!
To return
- When you are done with the kit or the due date has arrived, return your kit to the Main Library.
- Kits can be returned inside the Main Library vestibule and lobby.
About Beronica
Beronica is a Children’s Middle School Librarian and enjoys providing creative outlets for the tween community. When she’s not at work, Beronica can be found: reading, sewing, cooking, building, watching movies (especially horror), conversing in Spanish with her family, and spending time with her two rambunctious nephews!
