Last month, Maine residents gathered at the Pittsfield Public Library to hear live music, enjoy local food—and learn something new with Bendable. Patrons of all ages gathered to explore the lifelong learning platform through demos and one-on-one help, sparking excitement around content for crafting, languages, homeschooling and more. “This really opened people’s eyes,” said Holly Williams, the library’s director. “We have so many great resources because of Bendable.”
Live & Learn: Bendable Maine
4.L&L—Holly Williams
3.L&L—Doug Ware
Mt. Ararat High School’s community learning program was created to introduce options for independent study, embrace learning outside of school and expose students to career paths. Doug Ware, coordinator of the program, is leaning into Bendable to help achieve these aims. He’s helping to curate a Bendable bulletin board at the school for students to browse QR-coded resources for career surveying, deepening their interests, exploring jobs in Maine and more. “There certainly is a need for Bendable,” Doug said. “Students can really explore any given passion.”
November 2022
2.L&L—Anne Ball
The Maine Downtown Center supports Main Street corridors across the state by teaching local officials, merchants and others a range of skills—market analysis, how to use greenspace to revitalize urban areas and more. Some of that training is now available on Bendable Maine. But the center isn’t just a producer of content. It’s also a consumer, directing community leaders to Bendable to learn about fostering diversity and equity, among other things. “We sometimes have a need for content I don’t necessarily produce,” said Anne Ball, director of the center. “But Bendable does.”
October 2022
1.L&L—Laura Fortman
On Aug. 23, the Maine State Library celebrated the launch of Bendable Maine, as some 60 people turned out in Augusta for food, drink and conversation. Speakers included Portland Poet Laureate Maya Williams, who read an original work to mark the event, and State Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman (pictured here). “Bendable allows job seekers to dip their toes into a career path,” the commissioner told the audience. “It has a wonderful assortment of learning opportunities, including soft skills and tech skills, which are important for any job today.”