Tiffany Lomas, Digital Media Assistant for Coventry Libraries, describes the range of coding activities on offer at MozFest 2021.

Mozilla’s MozFest – 582 global events held digitally across 12 days. The three words that spring to mind when I think back on MozFest 2021 are: Intense, Inspiring and Awesome.

The range of knowledge, skill sharing, and vision was extraordinary, and I’ll say a huge thank you to Libraries Connected for providing a bursary enabling me to attend.

The array of bookable sessions was supplemented with skill shares and online art and media experiences. Attendees communicate with each other via Slack which was a great way to connect and keep the MozFest momentum going.

I found I was drawn to the creative workshops on offer and was amazed at the Open Source software programmers make freely available online. I found all of the facilitators and MozFest volunteers super helpful, patient and enthusiastic and felt able to throw myself into the full experience without fear as a complete novice.

A snapshot of my MozFest experience includes creating a 3D pyramid, designing a point and click adventure game and drawing and animating a basic character (going on to draw a fantastical creature using a machine learning model), being inspired to think sustainably and renew damaged things, designing a paper zine and a 3D paper room space, learning about the benefits of collaborating globally with Open Hardware, programming using Python and Scratch, using openly licenced images to make online collages, played *cough* I mean, coded, with Micro:bits and experiencing a guided meditation.

If all that wasn’t enough, as the host city for MozFest was Amsterdam, I took a boat tour along the Grachts, joined ice skaters out on a lake, learned how to make Bitterballen and toured the Rijksmuseum.

I came away from MozFest bulging with fresh ideas, new skills and many, new global contacts. Thank you so much to all involved.