Get lost in a fantasy world through a book, breathe new life into a community organization in your local library’s meeting space, or explore the digital world of a computer game. This year, Toledo Lucas County Public Library has a new opportunity to offer creative exploration to its patrons through Make U: Mobile Art Labs. These labs were made possible through ALSC, the Association for Library Service to Children, with a generous donation from Disney.

Make U: Mobile Art Labs are 9 kits filled with art supplies. Each kit has supplies to put on an art program for a different art discipline, suggested lesson plans, booklists, and examples of art relevant to that discipline. We’ve invited some great instructors to teach our foundation classes in Drawing, Painting, and Digital Photography. Additionally, we are providing instructional videos for our librarians so they will be prepared to teach art classes in the future while utilizing the Labs. Our hope is to provide children with an opportunity to learn techniques and learn to use art supplies. They’ll learn to think creatively and see an idea become reality in their art. This will foster in children a love of art and teach them skills not only useful in art, but also in life: flexibility, collaboration, communication, decision-making, and self-expression.

Look for Make U: Mobile Art Labs January through April 2016. Due to the easily replicable nature of the Make U: Mobile Art Labs, we will continue to offer art programs in the future as well! Look for the Make U logo, and keep creating!