A Day Dedicated to Learning
Kids are little learning machines, picking up new skills daily: how to tie their shoes, how to hold a fork, how to walk, how to write their names. At some point, this type of learning plateaus and education in public school becomes more abstract and theoretical. In gifted hands, this type of learning can be a genuine pleasure. How fun it is to analyze a text when you're allowed the freedom to arrive at your own conclusions. The ability to analyze information and think critically are practical skills constantly being tested by the amount of misinformation swirling around us. That being said, I would trade having learned calculus for the ability to replace the brakes on my car, build a chicken coop, sew a dress, or wire a lamp. To be fair, some of this could have been learned by taking a shop class, or was learned (I know I made a pillowcase at some point) but not consistently applied and thus forgotten. What I took for granted as a youth in school was that my entire day was dedicated to learning. What a luxury!
In celebration of the pleasures and practicalities of learning, the library hosts a How-To Festival, opens a new window every year. From 10 AM-1 PM on Saturday, June 7, everyone is invited to come to the library and learn from our friends and neighbors how to fence, spin yarn, go wild with dandelions, make a mushroom spore print, cook with the sun, and much more. The learning will take place on the library lawn and in the auditorium and lobby as well. You can find a full list of presenters and skills in the event description, opens a new window on our website. We'll make a festival of learning rain or shine! I plan to use the festival to kick off my summer of learning a new craft, to be determined by whichever demonstrations speak to me.
Sharing Skills with Our Community
Working at the library, I'm learning every day. And even more rewarding, I get to be a part of learning in community. I don't think I'll ever stop being amazed by people who share their expertise with others without the expectation of something in return. I find this type of generosity and genuine belief in community and resource-sharing extremely moving. You can find several such people at the How-To Festival, and also at Repair Studio, opens a new window. These dedicated and skilled Repair Studio volunteers come to the library with their tools and sewing machines, eager to mend and fix all our broken items. The rotating skill share sessions, opens a new window are an opportunity to pick up some practical knowledge you can build on and use in everyday life. Be on the lookout for more to come.
The Personal Pride of DIY
I have always loved reading and learning about the world, but admittedly, my practical skills are lacking. I can be impatient when learning a new skill. I want to be immediately good at something, right away able to create something functional and praise-worthy. Gardening and cooking are useful and hobbies I enjoy, but it would be helpful if I could mend my fence, hem a pair of pants, or fix a leaking faucet. It is a privilege to live without needing these skills, but I am increasingly grossed-out by consumerism, waste, and items designed not to last. Learning these practical skills is a way for me combat this, in small everyday ways. And learning something new gives me pride that feels wholesome and healthy. I'll do my best to make this my personal summer of learning new skills, starting June 7!
Books to help you learn new skills, both practical and just for the pleasure of it!
—Terese Winters is an Information Services Librarian at Lawrence Public Library.
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