Library offering telescope checkouts
Starting in the new year, the Homewood Public Library will begin offering checkouts of eight telescopes to its Homewood patrons.
The telescopes were bought with a grant from the Homewood Rotary Club, and Teen Librarian Judith Wright said it was inspired by the NASA @ My Library grant they received earlier this year. There is about a year and a half left of science and space-based programs that the library will host through that grant, and Wright and Children’s Librarian Laura Tucker said the public response has been positive so far.
Wright said many libraries around the country have expanded their offerings beyond books and movies to items such as baking pans or neckties to wear to job interviews. She and Tucker are both excited to see how people react.
“We’re anticipating a really warm response so I’m hoping we can grow it,” Wright said. “I like that you can just go in a completely different direction, and our community really loves STEM.”
The telescopes weigh about 13 pounds each and were bought through Cornerstones of Science, a program based in Maine that helps provide libraries with telescopes. As far as she knows, Wright said Homewood will be the first library in the state to offer telescopes for checkout.
The telescopes are basic starter models that will enable users to see constellations, some planets and other objects in the night sky as long as the weather is clear. Wright said each will come with a guide on how to use it and a headlamp, and the library will also provide books about finding constellations and their history.
Beginning in January, the telescopes will be available to Homewood residents and Homewood City Schools teachers to check out for a week at a time. Wright said they must be checked out by an adult since the telescopes are valuable and can be damaged.
If the program goes well, the library plans to open up the checkouts to any patrons and seek more funds to add to its available telescopes.
Additionally, the library will be giving away one telescope next spring. Wright said anyone who attends a NASA @ My Library program and fills out an evaluation will be entered to win a telescope identical to the ones available for checkout. The winner will be chosen on International Astronomy Day, April 21, 2018.
Visit homewoodpubliclibrary.org for information on checkouts and upcoming library programs.