{"id":33807,"date":"2025-07-19T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T04:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=33807"},"modified":"2025-07-16T09:47:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T13:47:03","slug":"full-steam-ahead-a-look-at-a-yearly-steam-expo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2025\/07\/full-steam-ahead-a-look-at-a-yearly-steam-expo\/","title":{"rendered":"Full STEAM Ahead: A Look at a Yearly STEAM Expo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the past eight years (including a couple virtual), my <a href=\"https:\/\/cuyahogalibrary.org\/\">library system<\/a> has held a STEAM Expo to highlight library STEAM programming from staff and to invite community partners to come with their own science, technology, engineering, art, and math offerings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/FruitPiano.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33812\" style=\"width:216px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/FruitPiano.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/FruitPiano-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/FruitPiano-120x90.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fruit Piano<em> <\/em><br><em>Photo courtesy of author<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TakeApart.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33813\" style=\"width:268px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TakeApart.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TakeApart-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/TakeApart-120x90.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Take-Apart Tech <br><em>Photo courtesy of author<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, approximately 400 people attended our STEAM Expo, which was held on a Saturday at a centrally located library.&nbsp; About 20 staff members from all over the system, who work with the whole spectrum of ages, came with a myriad of fun activities, which included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sphero.com\/products\/mini-golf\">Sphero golf<\/a>, augmented by cardboard construction with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.make.do\/?tw_source=google&amp;tw_adid=669685657401&amp;tw_campaign=20453039690&amp;tw_kwdid=kwd-302095060682&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20453039690&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAp9cEz1Ra658zCosQfmbUxJqqFNSc&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw-NfDBhDyARIsAD-ILeDj8LHvXfIBYSnAoPI0Qg4DV23vAnyvR_KKVaE9dcRt6IRnhIF2dugaArK7EALw_wcB\">Makedo<\/a> parts to set up putt-putt obstacles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dndbeyond.com\/?msockid=0eee6a8b96026f7e2a057ca197116ea4\">Dungeons and Dragons<\/a> themed math challenge, complete with giant 20-sided dice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Take-Apart Tech (the table this author manned.&nbsp; I now know what\u2019s inside projectors and computer keyboards) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digital art on iPads<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paper and printmaking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lego.com\/en-us\/categories\/robots-for-kids\">LEGO Robotics<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Video controllers with <a href=\"https:\/\/makeymakey.com\/?srsltid=AfmBOoqXD45oVcrOs9O9MTNL-8YJA5geuJ9uIZpAhxSLxgJIa8K3i8I5\">Makey-Makeys<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3-D printing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drone challenges<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>STEAM offerings from our <a href=\"https:\/\/discover.cuyahogalibrary.org\/?browseCategory=ADM_toys\">Toy Library<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And then the community partners!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SheepBrains.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33810\" style=\"width:234px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SheepBrains.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SheepBrains-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SheepBrains-155x90.jpg 155w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sheep brains! <br><em>Photo courtesy of the author<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/glenn\/\">NASA<\/a> helped lead astronaut drops (think egg drops without the eggs) from our balcony<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bw.edu\/\">Baldwin Wallace University<\/a> brought sheep brains for all to examine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/minoritytechalliance.com\/\">Minority Tech Alliance<\/a> brought his robotic dog.\u00a0 (As a side note\u2026this was absolutely amazing!\u00a0 It climbed your leg, jumped, barked, sat, rolled over\u2014so much fun!)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/case.edu\/\">Case Western Reserve University<\/a> let participants explore Augmented Reality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"421\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RoboticDog.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33811\" style=\"width:201px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RoboticDog.jpg 421w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RoboticDog-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RoboticDog-126x90.jpg 126w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 421px) 100vw, 421px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Such a good robotic doggie! <br><em>Photo courtesy of the author<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By participating in activities, visitors earned badges for each letter of STEAM and then could use the heat press to add them to a canvas bag as a take-home gift.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"574\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/DnD.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-33816\" style=\"width:216px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/DnD.jpg 574w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/DnD-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/DnD-108x90.jpg 108w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 574px) 100vw, 574px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Math-inspired D &amp; D <br><em>Photo courtesy of the author<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Does your system do anything to celebrate STEAM with community partners?&nbsp; If so, please consider discussing it in the comments.&nbsp; If not, hopefully you will be inspired to start something!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This post addresses the core competencies of I. Commitment to Client Group, III. Programming Skills, and V. Outreach and Advocacy. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the past eight years (including a couple virtual), my library system has held a STEAM Expo to highlight library STEAM programming from staff and to invite community partners to come with their own science, technology, engineering, art, and math offerings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":297,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1474,1],"tags":[243,451],"class_list":["post-33807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogger-maria-trivisonno","category-uncategorized","tag-partnerships-2","tag-steam"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/297"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33807\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}