STAR Library Network

2019 Computational Thinking
2019-07-23 - 2019-07-24
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2019 Computational Thinking Workshop
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50th Anniversary of Apollo Moon Landing
2019-07-20
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Humanity’s First Step Onto Another World
What was the sequence of this incredible mission? Where on the Moon did they land? And how did they return safely to Earth?

Watch a guided recreation (video to your right) of Apollo 11’s journey to see how this mission was executed by crew members and mission control in Houston.
Did your library view the live or recorded webcast? If so, please take a moment to complete the AMNH OpenSpace Audience Survey.
This live OpenSpace webcast was brought to you by the STAR Library Network’s NASA@ My Library program in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History.

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
2019-07-15
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Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
What was the sequence of this incredible mission? Where on the Moon did they land? And how did they return safely to Earth?
Watch a guided recreation of Apollo 11’s journey to see how this mission was executed by crew members and mission control in Houston.
This live OpenSpace webcast was brought to you by the STAR Library Network’s NASA@ My Library program in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History.

Getting Apollo Astronauts to the Moon and Safely Back to Earth
2019-07-09
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Getting Apollo Astronauts to the Moon and Safely Back to Earth
Note: This webinar is brought to you by NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division (Johnson Space Center)
President John Kennedy committed America to landing men on the Moon by 1970 with the words: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.” Mr. Woodfill will share his story of fulfilling the President’s words as the Apollo Program Spacecraft Warning System Engineer to return “him safely to the Earth.” The presentation explains how a young 23 year old Rice University Electrical Engineering graduate was able to not only overcome technical problems that might have led to the crew perishing but also saving Neil Armstrong’s Moonwalk from a catastrophic failure.

Summer of Space
2019-06-01 - 2019-08-31
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Celebrating 60 Years of Space Exploration
In the summer of 2019, 16,000 libraries across the country celebrated space exploration in their summer reading programs. The slogan “A Universe of Stories” was chosen by library professionals to help inspire children of all ages to dream big, believe in themselves, and create their own story. The Collaborative Summer Library Program and STAR Net partnered to share STEM resources with these libraries.
The 2019 summer learning program coincided with NASA’s 60 years of achievement and its celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.

Mars in May
2019-05-02
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Mars in May
With summer right around the corner, this webinar will showcase several hands-on STEM activities about Earth’s red neighbor. Join the STAR Net team to discuss programming ideas, NASA resources, and, of course, fun, hands-on STEM activities that will surely be a crowd-pleaser at your library. We’ll also check in on the progress of NASA’s InSight mission, which was launched in May 2018.

Community Dialogues for Summer and Beyond
2019-04-30
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Community Dialogues for Summer and Beyond
Is your library interested in reaching out to the community to gain new patrons? Or in better understanding the needs of your current (or potential) patrons? Join us to learn more about Community Dialogues, designed by the STAR Net team to help libraries learn more about their patrons, potential community partners, and how to more effectively serve underrepresented audiences. These Dialogues have been conducted more than 150 times at over 90 libraries across the country. Hear results and pitfalls to avoid from the libraries who have conducted them. This webinar is appropriate for any interested library staff, but please also share this announcement with your outreach librarians, directors, or anyone that is interested in reaching out into the community.

Exploring Lunar Phases: How Your Library Can Support Science Learning
2019-04-23
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Exploring Lunar Phases: How Your Library Can Support Science Learning
Please join us to explore lunar phases through hands-on activities and discussion! The moon has held our imaginations captive and sparked our curiosity since prehistoric times. Its changing appearance influences calendars, myths, and cultures around the world. Hear from middle school teachers about the needs and challenges of teaching lunar phases, and discover ways that library programs can help prepare participants in building critical knowledge and skills.

Solar System Scale Activities for “A Universe of Stories”
2019-03-07
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Solar System Scale Activities for “A Universe of Stories”
What’s the most common thing in outer space?…it’s SPACE! Our solar system is enormous, and the size of and distance between the Sun, planets, asteroids, and comets can be difficult to comprehend. With “A Universe of Stories” right around the corner, this webinar will highlight activities that allow patrons to experience the vast distances between objects in the solar system using foods or household objects. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to facilitate these activities; in fact, they’re affordable, simple, and easy for anyone to run!

Libraries Accessing NASA Subject Matter Experts
2019-02-20
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Libraries Accessing NASA Subject Matter Experts
In this webinar, conducted by NASA’s Night Sky Network, librarians from across the U.S. joined NASA@MyLibrary, the NASA Solar System Ambassadors, and the Night Sky Network astronomy clubs to access resources and astronomy enthusiasts in their communities.

Planning a Night Sky Viewing at Your Library
2019-02-20
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Planning a Night Sky Viewing at Your Library
A Night Sky Viewing is a great way to bring local science enthusiasts and library patrons together for an astronomy-based community event. Before your library launches a Night Sky Viewing or Star Party this year, there are a few things to know that can help take your event into orbit! We’ll take a look at the best practices for finding and working with an astronomy club, how to choose the right activities and promotional strategy, and other tips and tricks for keeping everyone warm, happy, and awe-inspired!“Guide on the Side” facilitation can open a new world of STEAM learning opportunities for your library patrons. A Guide on the Side elicits learners’ thoughts, ideas, and conceptions and encourages them to work together to build new understanding or skills for themselves. In this webinar, facilitators from the STAR Library Network will highlight their most recent article in the Association for Library Service to Children’s (ALSC) Children and Libraries (CAL) journal and give you “Guide on the Side” strategies, resources, and activities to help you engage your audience in STEAM exploration, whether you are conducting in-person or virtual programs. We will also discuss ways to tweak youth, adult, and family programs to be more inclusive for learners of various backgrounds, learning styles, and STEAM capabilities.

Infiniscope and STAR Net: Bringing Teachers and Library Staff Together!
2019-01-23
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Infiniscope and STAR Net: Bringing Teachers and Library Staff Together!
Please join the Space Science Institute and Arizona State University in a special webinar opportunity, featuring Infiniscope. Librarians from the STAR Library Education Network, and librarians, teachers, and other educators from the Infiniscope Network are welcome to join us for this opportunity. Teachers interested in working with libraries can learn more about this summer’s Universe of Stories summer reading theme, and librarians interested in learning more about Infiniscope’s visualizations and learning experiences are welcome to join. Participants will also learn how they can partner with each other for the 2019 Summer Learning event and beyond.

Resource Overview for “A Universe of Stories”
2018-12-18
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Resource Overview for “A Universe of Stories”
Looking for activities, websites, how-to videos, training, and more for the 2019 Summer Reading Theme? Join the STAR Library Network for an overview of vetted, free resources available through NASA, the STAR Library Network, and the STEM Activity Clearinghouse. Presenters will walk you through how to find, access, and sort through – remember, availability doesn’t always equal accessibility! – these resources and offer guidance on how your library can best utilize them!

Bringing “A Universe of Stories” to Your Library
2018-10-23
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Bringing “A Universe of Stories” to Your Library
Summer 2019 may feel like it’s far away, but the Collaborative Summer Library Program’s (CSLP) “Universe of Stories” reading theme will be here quicker than a photon traversing from the Sun to Earth.
“What space-themed programs will I do?”
“How will I partner with community organizations?”
“What if I don’t know anything about space?”
“How do I…STEM?”
If you find yourself asking these questions, then this is the webinar for you! Join the STAR Net team and Luke Kralik, Organizational Coordinator for CSLP, to learn more about the 2019 summer reading theme and ways that you can bring it to life in YOUR library. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to celebrate this out-of-this-world theme!

NASA In-flight Education Downlink
2018-10-18
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Connecting Kids with Astronauts Through Libraries
The High Plains Library District, in collaboration with the Space Science Institute’s STAR Library Network (STAR Net) and its NASA@ My Library initiative, was selected by NASA to host a live In-flight Education Downlink from the International Space Station with NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor.
The event will be streamed live nationally so that other public libraries can organize their own viewing event. Learn more!
Date: October 18, 2018 | Time Range: 10:00am-10:20pm MT*
Location: Riverside Library & Cultural Center in Evans, Colorado

Out-of-this-World Engineering
2018-09-26
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Out-of-this-World Engineering
Space isn’t just for scientists – it’s also for engineers! Join STAR Net as we take a look at some of the newest activities on the STEM Activity Clearinghouse that feature engineering design challenges with a space science theme. As we create rockets and rovers, we’ll be following the engineering design process: think, build, test, and do it again. Come and learn how you can make your 2018 and 2019 STEM programs blast off!

Join an International Lunar Celebration
2018-09-06
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Join an International Lunar Celebration
International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is a worldwide, public celebration of lunar science and exploration held annually since 2010. Tens of thousands of people participate each year, from 98 countries and 49 U.S. states (and counting!). On October 20th, your library is invited to join this world-wide celebration by hosting an InOMN event on one day each year to look at and learn about our Moon together.
Join the STAR Net team and Vivian White of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) and NASA’s Night Sky Network (NSN) to learn about how you can make the best of this annual event through hands-on activities, subject matter experts, NASA resources, and more!

2018 Discover Exoplanets
2018-08-29 - 2018-08-30
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2018 Discover Exoplanets Workshop
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Visit the Discover Exoplanets page for more info on this project.

How Your Library Can Celebrate “Lights On Afterschool
2018-08-16
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How Your Library Can Celebrate “Lights on Afterschool
Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The effort has become a hallmark of the afterschool movement, and on October 25th more than 8,000 Lights On Afterschool rallies will be held across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, attracting more than 1 million Americans and garnering media coverage nationwide. Join us for this webinar to learn more about Lights On Afterschool, and how your library can participate.

Parker Solar Probe
2018-08-12
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Humanity’s First Mission to Touch the Sun
NASA’s historic Parker Solar Probe mission will revolutionize our understanding of the Sun, where changing conditions can propagate out into the solar system, affecting Earth and other worlds. This probe will travel through the Sun’s atmosphere, closer to the surface than any spacecraft before it, facing brutal heat and radiation conditions — and ultimately providing humanity with the closest-ever observations of a star.

A Universe of NASA Resources
2018-06-16
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A Universe of NASA Resources
Please join us as representatives from NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Space Telescope Science Institute and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific share resources from their organizations that are easy to use and highly relevant for a library audience. These include everything from 3D printable moon-scapes, to how to get a NASA expert to your library! Get a head start on Summer Reading 2019 programming with this broad overview of NASA resources, and let us know after the webinar who you’d like to hear more from!

Libraries Helping Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA
2018-05-30
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Libraries Helping Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA
Girls STEAM Ahead with NASA (GSAWN) initiative is again partnering with public libraries to provide NASA-themed activities for girls and their families. Part of the NASA’s Universe of Learning program, GSAWN resources include a range of computer-based and paper-based activities, along with exhibits and poster series. During this webinar, you will hear about the GSAWN project, why girl-serving programming is important and needed, and the range of resources available to your library. There will be time for questions so we can address any concerns and best support your library efforts.

Reaching New Audiences with Community Dialogues
2018-05-23
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Reaching New Audiences with Community Dialogues
Staff at the National Center for Interactive Learning at the Space Science Institute have developed a Community Dialogue Strategy to empower public libraries to examine their existing practices, and reach out to their community to ensure that their library is a welcoming and safe environment. This strategy was developed and tested with funds from the National Institutes of Health, NASA and National Science Foundation as part of the STAR Library Education Network. Community Dialogues encourage libraries to ask the questions “who is missing from my library” and “who in the community would be a great partner for my library.” In this webinar, participants will learn more about this innovative strategy, and hear from public library staff who have made positive changes to their practice based on results from their own Dialogues.

The Parker Solar Probe Launch: How Will Your Library Be Involved?
2018-05-17
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The Parker Solar Probe Launch: How Will Your Library Be Involved?
In the summer of 2018, NASA will launch the Parker Solar Probe. This small, car-sized spacecraft will travel into the Sun’s atmosphere, within four million miles of our star’s surface. Join Space Science Institute’s Brooks Mitchell and Dr. Paul Dusenbery to learn all about NASA’s first mission to “touch” the Sun and ways that your library can be involved.

Mars InSight Lander
2018-05-05
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Investigating the Red Planet’s Interior Structure
The Mars Insight Lander touched down on Mars at around noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern) on Nov. 26, 2018. The lander plunged through the thin Martian atmosphere, heatshield first, and use a parachute to slow down. Then, it fired its retro rockets to slowly descend to the surface of Mars, and land on the smooth plains of Elysium Planitia
InSight, short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is a Mars lander designed to give the Red Planet its first thorough checkup since it formed 4.5 billion years ago. It is the first outer space robotic explorer to study in-depth the “inner space” of Mars: its crust, mantle, and core.
Studying Mars’ interior structure answers key questions about the early formation of rocky planets in our inner solar system – Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars – more than 4 billion years ago, as well as rocky exoplanets. InSight also measures tectonic activity and meteorite impacts on Mars today.

2018 NASA@ My Library
2018-05-01 - 2018-05-03
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2018 NASA@ My Library Workshop
View the above Flikr Photo Gallery for this past event.
Visit the NASA@ My Library page for more info on this project.

2018 Project BUILD
2018-04-14 - 2018-04-15
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2018 Project BUILD Workshop
View the above Flikr Photo Gallery for this past event.
Visit the Project BUILD page for more info on this project.

Off to Mars! Programming Ideas for the Insight Launch
2018-04-03
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Off to Mars! Programming Ideas for the Insight Launch
On May 5, InSight will begin its six-month journey from the coast of California to the plains of Mars. Once it lands, it will use seismic instruments to explore the interior of Mars in ways that we’ve never “seen” before! Join the STAR Net team and guest presenter Steve Lee (Denver Museum of Nature and Science and Space Science Institute) to learn all about this exciting, innovative mission and fun ways to celebrate its launch and landing at your library!

Celebrate 60 Years of Earth Observations with NASA
2018-03-06
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Celebrate 60 Years of Earth Observations with NASA
In its 60 year history, NASA has spent a great deal of time looking outward to find and learn about planets in our solar system and beyond. This Earth Day, however, our focus turns to the numerous NASA missions that study the planet that we live on and help us understand the Earth’s complex, dynamic systems. Join STAR Net, Marilé Colón Robles (NASA) and Jessica Taylor (NASA) to learn how you can celebrate Earth Day with NASA with programming ideas for children, teens, and adults!

Project Outcome
2018-01-10
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Project Outcome
The Public Library Association’s field-driven initiative, Project Outcome, is a FREE online toolkit offering an innovative and easy-to-use platform for public libraries to measure the impact of their programs and services. For more details, click here. This webinar provides an overview of the toolkit and examples of how libraries have been able to benefit from using Project Outcome. Additionally, staff will share STEM specific questions available to libraries within the toolkit and allow time to discuss outcome measurement needs for STEM programming.
