National Science Week 2023
National Science Week from 12-20 August 2023 is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. Here at Yarra Plenty Regional Library we love Science and are excited to bring you a jam-packed schedule of events and workshops!
But why does your library love science? Well, we are here to foster your love of learning and discovery, and we reckon science is a pretty important thing to learn about.
Science is fundamental to how we experience the world, and to creating our future. It is the foundation of our modern society - of medicine, transport, energy, and media and communication, to name just a few things. Science helps us create new ideas and technologies, to understand the mysteries of the world and the universe, and it increases the quality of our lives. Your library wants to share all of those things with you!
All the exciting events are listed below, and further information and bookings are on our website.
Are you eager to create computer code? If you’d like to learn this fun and important skill, we’ve got coding events at three of our branches!
Firstly, make a LEGO® EV3 robot do your bidding at Mill Park Library on Saturday 12 August 2023.
To code some music making, come along and learn how to use a Makey Makey with simple coding. Design and build your sensors and controller and make music in the library at Mill Park Library on Tuesday 15 August.
Learn to program and control Sphero Bolts using a simple block-based coding language. Make robots move from one room to another on the floor plan of a house. This event is at Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub on Wednesday 16 August.
On Monday 14 August at Diamond Valley Library, you can join in to build and create with lots of different STEAM challenges.
Maybe you can’t get into one of our branches? We have you covered - you can join our Beginners' Code Club online on Monday 14 August.
Go to the stars and back without leaving your chair by joining one of our very popular Virtual Reality sessions!
On Tuesday August 15, come to Watsonia Library and explore the International Space Station with our Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headsets.
On Friday 18 August, stargaze at Eltham Library or see the night sky at Thomastown Library.
And what is science without electricity? Discover electrical circuits at Lalor Library on Wednesday 16 August. Learn about electricity and test everyday items to find out if they are conductive or non-conductive.
Budding builders and engineers can join our STEAM Construction Challenge Wednesday 16 Aug at Whittlesea Library. Design and engineer a bridge, then test it out. Will it be long enough? Will it be strong enough?
As well as these special Science Week events, the library holds regular science events and after school activities all through the year. Come along to our Tinker Time activities that teach children basic coding, LEGO building skills, and simple science experiments.
We also have an online library of science videos that you can watch at home, science magazines and books on our eLibrary, and documentaries and childrens’ science series on our streaming service, Kanopy.