TELESCOPES, IN PUBLIC LENDING LIBRARIES?

A friend told me an about a new initiative to introduce people to science. The idea was to make telescopes available to people through libraries in the same way we  lend books.

The idea was backed up by the Astronomical Society meeting in New Hampshire in 2014 and is now called The Library Telescope Program* found in many state library systems across the country,

At this writing, 131 telescopes will be available for use in small and large lending libraries in cities and counties in  Missouri and Illinois, Recently my friend and I joined more than 50 volunteers to sort through parts and assemble 48 of those telescopes.

We worked with people unpacking shipping containers, cutting strings, checking lists for instructions and obviously determined to accomplish the morning's tasks itemized on large work sheets.

The volunteers included people of all ages, librarians, teachers, businesses people, representatives of interest groups like Eagle Scouts and other nonprofit organizations along with a few "old hands" who knew a thing or two about the assembly of a telescope. We learned of the considerable planning and logistics that are required to receive, store, ship and deliver the telescopes we worked on.

Once completed, the assembled telescopes were "star tested" and the volunteer assemblers were treated to  a delicious home-made spread of sandwiches and desserts. A sense of team celebration was felt by all who had put together the 48 telescopes.

When the telescope is delivered it becomes the property of the library .  Training for the Library staff and instructions on assembly and maintenance is once again provided by volunteers. Funding for the Program is provided by the Astronomical Society, local governments, donors and sometimes is authorized within the library operating budget itself.

Because of this Program an unknown number of people and children will be able to become familiar
with the science of our astronomical systems, see up close planets and stars unnoticed before.  And perhaps all of us, along with the telescope users will better understand planet Earth's place in the Universe and science's role in helping us better understand each other.

SEE YOU AT THE POLLS!

*Ask your Library for more information about The Library Telescope Program or Google your state's Astronomical Society.