[yjhoney]

Just started a coding bootcamp at a public library to teach ppl how to code: https://www.meetup.com/San-Jose-C0D3

Librarians love it when tech people come in to help. They don't have technical skills and most techies don't seem to think about volunteering at the library.

My goal: To help local libraries provide a free coding bootcamp to anybody who wants to learn.

Libraries are a beautiful place. They don't discriminate against anyone regardless of social status, race, gender, etc.

[omosubi]

They're one of the only public places remaining where you aren't expected to spend money.

Thanks for the great idea

[toomuchtodo]

See if Repl will offer you a deep discount or free use of their Classrooms product (since you're not making money from this, but without the hassle of forming a 501c3 or other formal non-profit entity).

https://repl.it/site/classrooms

[kendallpark]

This is a really awesome idea. I love how it leverages a public space that is already culturally oriented towards making knowledge accessible to everyone.

[xwowsersx]

Exactly.

[fraXis]

>>Libraries are a beautiful place. They don't discriminate against anyone regardless of social status, race, gender, etc.

This is a great idea! Thanks for doing this. Have you had your first session yet? How did it go?

Do you use the library computers for your coding bootcamp?

[yjhoney]

Yeah last year we did it for 3 months as a pilot program. It was a little messy, but the librarians loved it. I took about a year break to think hard about how it could be more effective and came up with a self-guided curriculum and then launched this yesterday!

I plan to start small (intentionally so) to build a core group of students and then slowly grow from there. Over the past year The more senior students will pass knowledge down to the more junior ones.

Currently its still too early to determine if there are issues or if things are going well, but we have about 5 students that show up.

> Do you use the library computers for your coding bootcamp?

If students don't have their own computers, we have ssh access for them to code on our computer using a borrowed laptop from the library. VSCode supports remote coding so that's cool. You also have tools like coder.com and repl.it that allows students to code without owning a computer.

[kendallpark]

Please write up your experiences! What works? What doesn't work? How are you structuring the program? Your idea is fantastic and I think documentation would useful for others that might want to implement something similar.

[yjhoney]

Definitely! I'm still in the process of learning and figuring this out, I'll write something after this goes on for awhile. The last thing I want to do is start something, write about it like I know what I'm talking about, then stop doing it.

[xwowsersx]

Love this. How did you gather interest and get this going?

[yjhoney]

Last year, a librarian reached out to me asking if I could run a program because they are getting alot of requests for tech education and they didn't have resources. That got me thinking... hey maybe its possible to help the library start a free coding bootcamp, open and accessible to all.

All it takes is to create a meetup account and schedule something! People will come.

The hardest part is to stick to a consistent schedule so people know when / how to find you for help. This usually means saying no to regular social events that your friends may invite you to.