We listened to teachers from the school board about their learning needs and proposed appropriate out-of-the-classroom learning opportunities, taking into consideration that the students were participating in a specialized program. We learned that an interdisciplinary program provided a varied experience for the students within the staffing model. There is an opportunity to expand the program to students attending other learning institutions.

The program was developed to be easily replicated by programming staff with background knowledge in the related areas and adaptable to a range of class sizes. Since the students were participating in a specialized program, content could be developed outside of the established curriculum expectations. The public library and the school board worked collaboratively to design a new interdisciplinary program for children in grades five through eight, which provided opportunities to explore history, technology and literature at the library.

Students gained skills in successfully navigating library resources, developed an awareness of Indigenous literature, developed a deeper understanding of the how the urban landscape has evolved over time and gained practical photo-editing skills using Mac computers. With the success of the program’s pilot year there is an opportunity to evolve the content and expand the program to students attending other learning institutions.