The Main Library of the St. Johns County Public Library System will be featuring a daylong celebration of National STEM/STEAM Day on Friday, November 8, 2019. STEM and STEAM are acronyms that stand for Science, Technology, Engineering, (Arts), and Math. STEM and STEAM education integrates these subjects into a cohesive interdisciplinary approach based on real-world applications.

​The centerpiece of this day of fun and learning will be a portable “pop-up” planetarium set up inside the Main Library.

At 3 p.m., Paul Jones of the Ancient City Astronomy Club will present “Astronomy 101” for adults and children. Then more time will be allowed for visiting the planetarium from 4 to 5 p.m. before we wrap up for the day.

Additionally, NASA@ My Library STEM kits will be out for hands-on fun for kids of all ages!

There’s a unique reason that National STEM/STEAM Day falls on November 8th: historically, fewer girls and women have pursued studies and jobs in STEM fields, so the online streaming series Project Mc² created programs to highlight the roles of women in these respective fields. The main characters are four smart, hardworking girls who work for an organization called NOV8 (pronounced “innovate” and the reason National STEM/STEAM lands on November 8th).

This day-long program is part of the NASA@My Library project, a grant program centering on the exploration of space, and promoting access to new technology. We can’t wait to see you at the Library!