Kitsap Regional Library will celebrate the culmination of the BiblioTEC program, funded through a $200,000 grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, with an open lab and student showcase from 2-5 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Port Orchard Library.

This event will feature elements of the BiblioTEC program with an open lab and participation in the national Hour of Code project. From 4-5 p.m., there will be a student showcase of the projects of our latest program graduates. There will also be a small ceremony to honor all BiblioTEC graduates from the past two years and to celebrate their accomplishments.

BibliTEC is a program developed by Kitsap Regional Library to support at-risk and homeless teens and connect them to technology and the library. It was created as a partnership with Coffee Oasis, which serves homeless teens and young adults through job training programs.

The BiblioTEC training in technology — including coding, robotics and three-dimensional design and production — became one of the vocational choices available to young people enrolled in the Coffee Oasis program.

The BiblioTEC program connected with at-risk youth through classroom and technology lab sessions.

Students collaborated with each other on self-directed, interest-driven projects that directly applied to their career and educational goals.

The grant also funded internships so BiblioTEC graduates could return to help support members of subsequent classes. Two of the BiblioTEC interns now have regular jobs with the library system.

The BiblioTEC program was led by Leigh Ann Winterowd, manager of the Sylvan Way branch, and was taught by Seth Ciotti, a librarian at the Sylvan Way library. In addition to the vocational tech classes, the BiblioTEC program also offered open technology labs in several of library locations around Kitsap County.

“Developing, planning and implementing BiblioTEC has been an amazing experience and a true system wide collaborative effort,” Winterowd said.  “We are looking forward to more opportunities to evolve this program.”

Kitsap Regional Library is seeking a federal Institute of Museum and Library Services grant to continue BiblioTEC once the Allen Family Foundation grant expires at the end of this year.

“We have made it through the first round in the grant process and have been asked to submit a full grant proposal,” said Jeff Brody, director of Community Relations for KRL.