She is one of 10 individuals selected nationwide to receive "I Partner With My Public Library Award." The award is given to highlight organizations, agencies, businesses, individuals and many others who collaborate with public libraries to transform communities.
Munski was nominated for the award by library staff members for her outstanding service to informal STEM learning throughout her career. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The award program was inspired by the Former First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" public health initiative, which she championed from 2010 to 2017.
Munski was recognized during an online award ceremony Friday, Nov. 3, at Grand Forks Public Library. The ceremony was conducted by the Let's Move in Libraries organization; the four staff members who nominated Munski spoke before the online ceremony began at 2 p.m.
This is the first time the award has been given; 55 nominations were submitted. Nominations were judged on the basis of the criteria of geographic diversity; length, depth and impacts of the collaboration; and cooperation or reciprocity in the relationship.
The staff members cited her successful efforts to bring STEM education to youth, connect the library with grant-funding opportunities, and collaborate with local STEM educators and the resources and support needed to build a successful, multi-faceted library-based STEM learning infrastructure.
She was also credited with supporting the overall learning infrastructure at not only the Grand Forks library, but also shared with other libraries across the state.
"Dr. Munski serves as a collaborator, a connector, a mentor, and a teacher" for the Grand Forks Public Library staff, said Wendy Wendt, library director.
In 2009, Munski and Aaron Stefanich, the children's librarian, began collaborating on a STEM project for the library that proved to "be so popular, it continues to this day," Wendt said.
Munski is "our strongest partner," Wendt said. "She has had an incredible impact on the Grand Forks Public Library and on all the people who attend our programs."
Wendt cited Munski's collaborative work with the library's children's department, the UND College of Engineering and Mines, and the Turtle River State Park as examples of her work with numerous organizations to offer STEM education experiences.
In his nomination letter, Stefanich said Munski "has devoted countless volunteer hours to help create accessible, educational and memorable STEM opportunities for youth and families across Grand Forks County."
Every month the Grand Forks Public Library hosts STEM programs for children, all of which are conducted in partnership with Munski and the Dakota Science Center, Stefanich said.
Munski enlists UND faculty staff and students from diverse fields such as geology, geography, atmospheric sciences, engineering and mines, geosciences, music and physics to provide this programming, he said.
Her connections have allowed the library to form partnerships with a variety of community organizations, including North Dakota Extension Service, Turtle River State Park, Grand Forks Horticultural Society, Grand Forks County Soil Conservation District, Northern Sky Astronomical Society, and others.
Munski has written more than 25 grants that have brought in more than $65,000 in funds for the library to use for STEM programming.
She has been influential in bringing to the library national traveling exhibits such as the Dust Bowl, Discover Earth, Discover Space, Thinking Money for Kids, and #PlantWildflowers.
Kirbie Sondreal, assistant children's librarian, said that, because of Munski's efforts, the library "has become a hub of quality STEM activities that are incredibly popular with our patrons."
These include weekend STEM activities that focus on a specific theme, such as chemistry or geosciences, multi-day summer activities like NASA Astro Camp, and the FIRST LEGO League Robotics during which children can learn the basics of coding, Sondreal said. FIRST stands for: For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology.
Because of Munski's grant-writing expertise, the library hosted the opening of the Blue Whales Project exhibit, through Tangled Bank Studios, on Sunday, Nov. 5. The exhibit, which continues through Nov. 30, includes a vinyl, life-size Blue Whale Tail, and banner with QR codes for virtual blue whales activities, Stepanich said.
None of these programs or exhibits would be possible without Munski's efforts, Sondreal said.
©2023 the Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, N.D.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
