March is New Jersey STEM Month, a celebration coordinated by the New Jersey STEM Pathways Network and the Research and Development Council of New Jersey that highlights the Garden State’s incredible accomplishments in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and innovation.
New Jersey has a long and rich history of invention and innovation. The world has been significantly shaped by people and things from the Garden State, from Edison’s light bulb, to Bell Labs and Camp Evans.
The library will be hosting several STEM events for adults, teens, and children throughout the month of March, and culminating on Saturday, March 25 with New Jersey Makers Day.
Afternoon LEGO Club
Join us every other Wednesday for LEGO fun! Use your imagination to create awesome LEGO structures. Ages 5 and up. Please sign in at the Youth Services desk when you arrive. Wednesdays, March 1, 15, and 29 at 3:45pm.
Adult Crafting with Marge: No-Sew Fabric Bunny Wreath
Get ready for spring by creating a fabric bunny wreath for your door or wall. No sewing skills required! All materials will be provided. Registration is required as space is limited. Thursday, March 16 at 1:00pm.
Mad Science: Fire and Ice
The Friends of the Library bring you Mad Science Fire and Ice as part of their family program series! Children will be dazzled and entertained as they interact with the Mad Scientists! Get ready for some sizzlin’ excitement! Learn about the amazing properties of fire and combustion. Then, cool off with spectacular demonstrations involving dry ice! Check out the “Big Burp”, and the famous “Mad Science Shower”, as we will explore the science behind this amazing frozen gas. Tickets required for all children and adults attending the programs. Tickets will be available the day of the program at the Youth Services Desk. First come, first served–space is limited and tickets may run out. Saturday, March 18 at 10:30am.
Linda Barth Presents The Garden State: Where Ideas Grow
Join author Linda Barth as she explores groundbreaking, useful, fun, and even silly inventions and their New Jersey roots. Many people are familiar with Edison’s “invention factory” in Menlo Park, where he patented the phonograph, the light bulb, and many more innovations. Yet many other ideas have grown in the Garden State, too—New Jerseyans brought sound and music to movies and built the very first drive-in theater. In addition to the first cultivated blueberry, tasty treats like ice cream cones and M&M’s® are also Jersey natives. Iconic aspects of American life, like Bubble Wrap®, the boardwalk, the Band-Aid®, and even professional baseball itself started in New Jersey. Life would be a lot harder without the vacuum cleaner, plastic, and air-conditioning, and many other important advances in medicine and surgery were developed here.
Linda Barth has been a fan of New Jersey for a long time. A lifelong resident of the Garden State, Linda has written two books on the D&R Canal and three children’s picture books, Bridgetender’s Boy, Hidden New Jersey, and Alice Paul: Champion of Women’s Rights. She has also authored A History of Inventing in New Jersey: From Thomas Edison to the Ice Cream Cone and New Jersey Originals. With her husband she has published The Millstone Valley Through Time and Somerville Through Time. She has also contributed to the Encyclopedia of New Jersey. Linda Barth spent 45 years in the Bridgewater-Raritan School District, teaching fourth grade and then substituting after retirement. She is the executive director of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey and president of the D&R Canal Watch, a friends organization of the D&R Canal State Park. Saturday, March 18 at 2:00pm.
Precious Pollinators Education Fair
Tamaques Girl Scout Junior Troop #40824 presents an interactive and fun education fair all about our precious pollinators! Free, kid-friendly activities and giveaways to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators. No registration required, drop in anytime from 2-4 pm. Saturday, March 18 at 2:00pm.
New Jersey Makers Day
Join us for a celebration of STEM with interactive workshops, drop-in demonstrations, and open exploration. This is an ALL AGES event. No registration is necessary. Saturday, March 25, 10:00am to 4:00pm.