Leather Digest

Orlando, Fla. — November 9, 2025 — The Alafaya Library hosted its weekly LEGO® Education SPIKE™ course on Sunday, offering children ages 6–12 an opportunity to explore the intersection of creativity, engineering, and coding. This week’s session, themed Vehicles, allowed participants to design and program models such as motorcycles, race cars, helicopters, and trains, combining play with STEM-based learning.

Interest in the program remains high, with the limited space of ten participants resulting in a waitlist. “My daughter loves LEGOs and this was a great way to get her involved in the more advanced technical side of that interest,” said Suzette Gault, who registered but was waitlisted. “I just wish there was more space for more children.”

The Alafaya Library will continue its LEGO Education series throughout the next month, with upcoming sessions themed Space on November 16, Pollination on November 23, and Exercise Robots on December 7, concluding the series ahead of the winter holidays. Registration is available to residents with an Orlando Public Library card, which can be obtained online or at any local branch.

The local enthusiasm for educational programming comes as national discussions intensify around the future of public libraries. On April 10, 2025, the American Library Association (ALA) released a report titled IMLS Cuts Put America’s Public Libraries at Risk, warning that proposed federal funding reductions could significantly affect library operations across the country. The report highlighted that libraries are “essential infrastructure in every American community,” providing resources that extend well beyond books including job skills training, entrepreneurship support, homeschooling tools, and access to food services.

The concern follows a March 14 executive order proposing major budget cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which would notably impact states such as California, Connecticut, and Washington.

In addition, a November 2025 study titled The Impact of Library Collections on Faculty Teaching, Research, and Retention underscored the ongoing challenges faced by academic libraries. The research found that escalating information costs, shrinking institutional budgets, and retention pressures have forced libraries to more clearly demonstrate their value. The report concludes that sustained collaboration between librarians, faculty, and administrators is critical to advancing research and supporting student success.

As debates over funding and access continue at the national level, the Alafaya Library’s LEGO Education SPIKE program stands as a local example of how libraries continue to innovate and serve their communities. By transforming a love of play into pathways for problem-solving and discovery, programs like these reaffirm the library’s role as a cornerstone of lifelong learning.