Eclipses & Community Science

April is Community Science Month, a celebration of the public’s power to gather information, collaborate with scientists, and contribute to new discoveries. You don’t have to be an expert to aid in the scientific process! This year, the Great American Eclipse (April 8) falls within Community Science Month, and we’re excited to mark the occasion with programs about how eclipses work. We’ll also explore other projects you can participate in from home. Read on to learn more about upcoming events as well as resources and titles to spark your interest in different scientific topics. 

PROGRAMS

Look to the Sky: Eclipses & Community Science Month

• Monday, April 1, 2 – 3PM at Fairfield
• Tuesday, April 2, 10 – 11AM at Twin Hickory
• Wednesday, April 3, 2 – 3PM at Tuckahoe
• Thursday, April 4, 10 – 11AM at Libbie Mill
• Friday, April 5, 2 – 3PM at Varina

Celebrate Community Science Month with us. Prepare for the April 8, 2024, Great American Eclipse by learning how eclipses work. We will also explore a variety of community science projects you can do at home to help scientists around the world, including the GLOBE Observer project. A limited supply of solar eclipse viewing glasses will be given away to attendees after the program on a first come, first served basis.

Community Science Explorers

• Monday, April 1, 2-3PM at North Park
• Tuesday, April 2, 2-3PM at Gayton
• Wednesday, April 3, 10:30-11:30AM at Sandston
• Thursday, April 4, 2-3PM at Glen Allen

Join us at this Community Science Month celebration for kids who want to help the planet and its wildlife. Explore a variety of Community Science projects you can do at home and help scientists around the world. Learn about Community Science apps like iNaturalist, Seek, and more. Afterward, we will go on a short walk around the green space of the library and record our findings! A limited supply of solar eclipse viewing glasses will be given away to attendees after the program on a first come, first served basis.

ADDITONAL PROGRAMS

KIDS + TWEENS

• Spring Break Fun: Celebrate the Sun
  • Monday, April 1, 2:30 – 3:30PM at Twin Hickory
  • Best for ages 7 and up with an adult. Prepare for next week’s partial solar eclipse by investigating models, creating experiments, and exploring safe ways to view the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Informational books will be available for checkout.

• Eclipse Art
  • Tuesday, April 2, 1 – 2PM at North Park
  • Best for ages 3 and up. Create sun and moon inspired art. While all supplies are provided, you are welcome to bring your own clean cardboard item for recycling to include in your masterpiece, such as a paper towel roll or shoe box. Related books will be available for checkout.

• Cereal Box Eclipse Viewers
  • Saturday, April 6, 2 – 3PM at Fairfield
  • Get ready to safely view the upcoming solar eclipse by making your own eclipse viewer out of cereal boxes. Boxes will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. Be sure to check out our books about space.

ADULTS

• Sci-Fi-Athon
  • Monday, April 8, 12 – 6:30PM at Varina
  • We're celebrating Eclipse Day 2024 with a triple feature of science fiction movies from the '60s and '70s. Drop in anytime.
    • 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm - The Reluctant Astronaut (1967, G, 115 min.)
    • 2:30 pm - 4:10 pm - Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969, G, 100 min.)
    • 4:30 pm - 6:15 pm - The Cat from Outer Space (1978, G, 103 min.)

• Community Science: Birding with eBird
  • Saturday, April 13, 10 – 11AM at Twin Hickory
  • eBird is a powerful online tool that can help you keep track of the birds you have seen and find the birds you want to see. Developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, eBird is used worldwide and is considered one of the premiere community science success stories. The Richmond Audubon Society's Matt Brooks will provide an introduction to eBird and lead a short walk around the library's green space. Participants are encouraged to download eBird to their portable Android or iOS device prior to the program. A limited number of binoculars will be available for use.

• Look to the Sky: Gathering Cloud Data for NASA
  • Tuesday, April 23, 7 – 8PM at Tuckahoe
  • Richmond Times-DispatchMeteorologist Sean Sublette discusses cloud formations and weather. Then, learn about a Community Science opportunity to gather data on local skies through NASA's GLOBECloud Observer project.

COLLECTION:

KIDS

Nature Backpacks

Perfect for a family hike or outdoor adventure, Nature Backpacks contain field guides, observation tools (like a dip net and magnifying glass!), discovery activities, and a parking pass for free entry to all Virginia State Parks.

Birding Backpacks

Designed for children and families curious about birds and the natural world, our Birding Backpacks can be used anywhere, from the backyard to the Blue Ridge, and come equipped with binoculars, field guides, and activities.

• Casting Shadows: Solar and Lunar Eclipses with The Planetary Society by Bruce Betts (also available on Hoopla)
• Eclipse by Andy Rash
• Honey Bee: A First Field Guide to the World’s Favorite Pollinating Insects by Priyadarshini Chakrabarti Basu (also available on Hoopla)
• The Junior Birder’s Handbook: A Kid’s Guide to Birdwatching by Danielle Belleny
• My First Guide to Weather by Camilla De la Bédoyére
• The Observologist by Giselle Clarkson
• Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do by Andrea Minoglio
• Outdoor School: Animal Watching by Mary Kay Carson (also available on Hoopla)
• She Heard the Birds: The Story of Florence Merriam Bailey: Pioneering Nature Activist by Andrea D’Aquino (also available on Hoopla)
• Space Activity Lab: Exciting Space Projects for Budding Astronauts by Nigel Wright

TEENS

• The Big Backyard: The Solar System Beyond Pluto by Ron Miller (also available on Hoopla)
• Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (also available on Hoopla)
• Forest Talk: How Trees Communicate by Melissa Koch (also available on Hoopla)
• Outer Space Explained: The Guide for Curious Minds by Mike Flynn
• Rocks, Minerals, and Gems by John Farndon
• Sky Wolf’s Call: The Gift of Indigenous Knowledge by Eldon Yellowhorn (also available on Hoopla)
• The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go From Here: Adapted for Young Readers by Hope Jahren
• The Universe: The Big Bang, Black Holes, and Blue Whales: Inquire and Investigate by Matthew Wood
• Wildlife Watcher Guide: By Wildlife Photographers by Michael Leach
• Where Have All the Bees Gone? by Rebecca E. Hirsch (also available on Hoopla)

ADULTS

• American Eclipse: A Nation’s Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World by David Baron (also available on Hoopla)
• Better Living Through Birding by Christian Cooper
• Birding to Change the World: A Memoir by Trish O’Kane
• Citizen Science: How Ordinary People Are Changing the Face of Discovery by Caren B. Cooper (also available on Hoopla)
• The Field Guide to Citizen Science: How You Can Contribute to Scientific Research and Make a Difference by Darlene Cavalier (also available on Hoopla)
• The National Audubon Society Bird of North America: The Complete Guide to Birding - with Full-Color Photographs, Upgraded Range Maps, and Authoritative Notes on Voice, Behavior, Habitat, Nesting, and Conservation Status edited by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
• National Geographic Pocket Guide to the Weather of North America by Jack Williams
• National Geographic Stargazer’s Atlas: The Ultimate Guide to the Night Sky by Rachel Brown
• Weather 101: From Doppler Radar and Long-Range Forecasts to the Polar Vortex and Climate Change, Everything You Need to Know About the Study of Weather by Kathleen Sears
• The Weather Detective: Rediscovering Nature’s Secret Signsby Peter Wohlleben