Los Alamos Reporter

PED Challenges Students To Design And Build Little Libraries

PED NEWS RELEASE

The Public Education Department today launched competitions for New Mexico schools to design and build little lending libraries to celebrate the state’s Year of Literacy.

Schools can compete in one or both of two categories to design or build a little library based on specifications provided. Rubrics that include points for in-school and community collaboration will be used to judge both designs and completed libraries. 

As an example, in-school collaboration could involve the English department proofreading a design while the art department builds and paints it. Community collaboration could mean working with a local service organization to stock the finished library.

The winner in the build category will be featured in social media posts and installed in front of the Jerry Apodaca Building in Santa Fe, where the Public Education Department is housed. In addition, the department is working to secure additional awards.

Colorful little wooden book boxes have sprung up in neighborhoods across the country over the last decade as a way to exchange books and promote reading in a community. 

The competition begins today and submissions are due March 17. Educators will submit drawings in the design category and at least four photographs for build submissions. Career and Technical Education instructors or project sponsors are asked to score submissions using these rubrics: 

Districts and state-chartered schools may submit multiple entries in each category here: NM PED Year of Literacy Little Lending Libraries SUBMISSION. 

Winners will be decided by a panel of judges and announced on April 1, 2022.