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April is Citizen Science Month!

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April is citizen science month! Citizen science is public involvement in the inquiry and discovery of new scientific knowledge. Community science, participatory research, DIY science, crowdsourcing, and public engagement in scientific research, among others, are also terms used to describe this movement. A citizen science project can involve one person or millions of people collaborating toward a common goal. Millions of citizen scientists are accelerating many areas of scientific research.

Since April is Citizen Science Month, it is a perfect time to get started. This is easy to do because of the website www.SciStarter.org which organizes thousands of projects within their portal. This may sound overwhelming, but it is well organized. They feature several projects on their home page, to give you an idea what kind of things are available. You decide how much time to spend on a project and when it is convenient for you to participate. You are asked to create an account; this helps you keep track of your activities. Once you log on then you can use the search box to type in keywords related to your interests. The Project Finder uses several parameters to help you refine your search. If needed, tutorials are included to explain the protocols. Some projects, such as FoldIt have been crafted into game-like activities. Projects vary wildly but many are trying to make information accessible and digital. The Smithsonian has thousands of hand-written records that they need transcribed so they can become searchable. These could include ship logs, plant tags or letters. Whatever your interests there is a citizen science project waiting for you!

The benefits of Citizen Science:

  • Allows people with diverse motivations to participate in science.
  • Broadens the scope of who can contribute to science and provides a pathway for introducing new processes, observations, data, and epistemologies to science.
  • Provides an opportunity for participants to learn about data, data analysis, and interpretation of data.
Lis a Lacivitia Bowman Reference Assistant

Lisa LaCivita

Bowman Reference Assistant
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Kanopy Kids

Your Library is More than Just Books. It's Movies, TV, Support, and Tips! Explore 4 Great Resources for Children

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Kanopy Kids 

What is it? Thousands of streaming videos that are safe, educational, and parent trusted. Focused on children 2-8 years old. No view limits or monthly passes. Free with your library card.

What can you find? Old and new TV shows such as Little Bear, Sesame Street, Max & Ruby, Sarah & Duck, Blippi, T-Rex Ranch, Cocomelon, and Sid the Science Kid. Read along storybooks with new books by Mo Willems and old classics such as Where the Wild Things Are.

How to access it? You will input your library card to gain access.

From the digital library apps page, select Google Play Store or Apple Store. https://www.handleyregional.org/download-stream/media/apps

Or search Kanopy Kids on the Google Play Store or Apple Store 

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What is it? NoveList has been helping readers find their next favorite book for 30 years and continues to develop innovative solutions for connecting readers, books, and libraries. It uses story elements such as appeal terms like heartwarming, themes like fish out of water and genres like steampunk fiction to create recommendations. 

What can you find? Recommended reading lists based on the mood you are in, ages, genres, and award winners. A list of books similar to a book you loved. Basic descriptions of books within recommended lists.

How to access it? From the resources for kids page at Handley Library 

Or directly here

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What is it? Just for Kids by Infobase is a children's video streaming service that features entertaining and educational videos your kid will love!  Content is appropriate for kids of all ages.  

What can you find? TV shows such as Wild Kratts, Rolie Polie Olie, Sesame Street, and PBS kids favorites like Daniel Tiger and Arthur. Books brought to life TV shows such as Berenstain Bears and Franklin. Loads of documentaries that teach subjects including history, math, peoples and places, reading, writing, art, and music.

How to access it? If prompted to enter a username and password, use the following:

Username: handleyPL

Password: digital

From the resources for kids page at Handley Library

Or directly here

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Common Sense Media 

What is it? Common Sense Media improves the lives of kids and families by providing independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media. This is a free resource available to anyone but it’s recommended by your favorite child librarians.

What can you find? Ratings and reviews from kids and parents about movies, books, TV, games, podcasts, and apps. Find age recommendations and so much more such as iffy content, any educational value, positive role models, language, sex, etc. Find out what “parents need to know” about  specific movies, books, etc. 

How to access it? From the resources for kids page at Handley Library

Or directly here

 

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Volunteer With us at Handley, bowman, and Clarke

5 Reasons to Volunteer at Your Local Library

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Are you looking for a fun and meaningful way to spend your time this summer? Consider becoming a volunteer at your local library! There are so many benefits of volunteering, and here are just a few of them: 

 

1. Give Back to Your Community 

Libraries are hubs of resources and information for the community, and by becoming a volunteer, you are helping to further this mission.  

2. Boost Your Resume 

Volunteering boosts your skills in teamwork and empathy, which are applicable to practically every job. In addition, employers are impressed by volunteer experience as it shows you filled your time by serving others. 

3. Learn New Things 

From soft skills like organization to more library-specific tasks such as shelving books, there is so much to learn. You may even find a new dream job! 

4. Make Friends 

The people you meet through volunteering will most likely be around the same age as you and have similar interests, and you’ll get to spend time together every week. 

5. Have Fun! 

Although volunteering can be hard work at times, it is super fun, especially at the library. You’ll be able to help librarians create displays and run fun programs, and you may even become a puppeteer! 

 

To learn more about volunteering at the Handley, Bowman, or Clarke branches, please visit https://www.handleyregional.org/volunteer-library. We hope to hear from you soon! 

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