Walt Mares File Photo/Gila Herald
Contributed Article/Courtesy Karen Soohy – Greenlee County Librarian
DUNCAN/CLIFTON/BLUE – The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, has awarded a $3,000 Citizen Science grant and a $13,840 Take It Make It grant to the Greenlee County Library System, which includes public libraries in Duncan, Clifton, and Blue.
The Citizen Science Grant will allow the libraries to create kits that enable our patrons to collect data from our local environment. This data will be shared with scientists and others who want to make a difference. The kits include topics such as Biodiversity, Monitoring Air Quality, Water Quality, and Observing Pollinators in our county.
“Citizen Science is a really interesting program,” stated Karen Soohy, Greenlee County Librarian. “It lets anyone who is interested in the environment gather information and report to the SciStarter database. SciStarter.org has hundreds of projects that affect the environment and by adding our local data to these projects helps put Greenlee County on the map.”
The Take It Make It Grant (TIMI) will provide monthly take-home projects based on Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STREAM) activities. These projects will focus on all ages and encourage family time.
“The Take It Make It idea began during the pandemic when the libraries provided pickup packets to patrons when they could not come into the libraries,” said Mrs. Soohy. “We received a lot of positive feedback when we were doing them and this grant will allow us to continue with TIMI in the future.”
The programming for both Citizen Science and TIMI should begin in the fall of 2022. Citizen Science kits will be available for checkout at Duncan and Clifton. Teachers and home school parents are encouraged to use them for their science curriculum but they will be available to all patrons over the age of 12. TIMI packets will be available at all three libraries and will be for Pre-K through adult.
In 2022, the Arizona State Library received about $3.5 million under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Arizona libraries received over $675,000 awarded on a competitive basis. The remaining funds are used to support statewide services, including family literacy and reading programs, electronic databases, digital government initiatives, continuing education classes, and other programs.
For more information visit www.azlibrary.gov or call 602-542-6200.
