Microscopes in the Library

How it all got started…

Claire BushongGary Brown

The More I SeeThe More I See

There’s More To See

Gary Brown

The goldenrod in my back yard…The more I see….

The soldier beetle on the golden rod… The more I see…

The caterpillar on the goldenrod…The more I see…

Goldenrod pollen… There’s more to see.

Electron micrograph, sciencephoto.com

The roadside ditch…The more I see…

The roadside ditch on its way to the lab…

The more I see…

Denizen of the ditch…

There’s more to see.

My First Microscope

Remembering the wonderful little microscope I found under the

Christmas treewhen I was ten years old led me to thinking about ways to share my

fascinationand enthusiasm for the microscopic

world with others.

This is what I saw…

What I really saw…

Finding an avenue forsuch a project seemed to be a

logical first step.

The plan was to put microscopes in some type of permanent facility that would offer

consistent availability and have some willing

professional support.

Science centers* and libraries offered the perfect solution.

*my first job was in a science center

The Edgerton Explorit Center

Aurora, NE

Students from area schools visit the Edgerton Exporit Center to participate in a variety of science activities.

What’s wrong with thisPicture ?

Students have the opportunity to prepare and observe their slides

Valley Public Library

Valley, NE

Library photo

The Valley Library

An inexpensive eyepiece camera

attached to a small monitor is a

great way to stimulate interest

In the Science Station.

Deciding upon a workable strategy was a challenging task.

Selecting the appropriate microscopes,

organizing the permanent display, finding supporting materials, and

building the kits for check – out became quite a project.

A larger challenge was preparing the potential user.

Selecting the appropriate microscopes…Is any microscope better than no microscope ?

Compound or StereoSimple or Complex

Organizing the permanent display …

At the Valley Library the Science Station is evolving.

The sign is on the wall and all is looking good.

The Science Station is a real kid magnet. New families

never fail to notice the area, and nearly every day

children stop by to look at the specimens on display.

Through a recent donation we have added more books

and worksheets.

finding supporting materials…

Magnifying Glasses are fun and inexpensive

finding more supporting materials…*

*Thanks to a very supportive library staff

And finding even more supporting materials…The Specimens*

* Thanks to the students who came to Science Day

… and building the kits for check – out.

We received one of the Youth Grants for Excellence from the Nebraska Library Commission to assemble 2 kits for checkout, allowing families to get a closer look at their home surroundings.

A brief orientation is required for first-time checkout, so they can make the most of their experience.

So, what’s in the kit ?

Swift M3200D Microscope

Large Nylon Carrying Case

Accessories Drawer

Plastic Slides and CoverSlips

Prepared Slide Sets

Telephone Camera Mount

Petri Dishes and Pipettes

Instruction cards for the Microscope and the phone mount

Instruction cards for the microscope and the phone mount

The phone mount allows users to record their favorite specimens.

Photos could be used for a school report or a journal of interesting finds.

A polarized effect (using cheap sunglasses) turns sand found on the sidewalk into something quite beautiful.

Professionals in the area

The microscopes give us another great tool that allows us to take advantage of the skills of local science professionals who volunteer.

Kits can augment our Science Station microscopes when needed.

Being a part of the Nebraska Science Festival has been a great experience the last 2 years.

A larger challenge was preparing

the potential user.

Science Day

After School Programs

Special Classes

Summer ReadingPrograms

After School Programs

and the

YMCA

Back to school night.

Special Classes

Before checkingout the microscope

each library membermust complete abrief orientation.

We also have a classon using the telephone

camera on the microscope.

For walk-in business, we have found the stereo scopes easier for staff, and younger kids are more interested in looking at the larger specimens they can identify.

Kits are handy for library staff to transport to other locations for special outreach experiences.

A project such as this is an ongoing learning experience where every new activity opens

a door for another.

The growth of this project has been encouraging as we are finding new

ways to make microscopy available to the community through the participation of a growing number of organizations.

Advocacy Day 2016

Volunteer Recognition

You too, can participate.Submit a proposal for a microscope program in your library.

* May be for a circulating kit or a permanent microscope station

* Should include a program component (minimum of orientation to using a microscope)

* Should include a matching component: a dollar amount or in-kind (materials or local professional presentation)

Up to 2 microscopes will be made available in 2017. Deadline for application is March 1, 2017.

Full application and instructions will be posted on the Valley Public Library website by January 1: http://libraries.ne.gov/valley.

For additional information you may contact us at:

Claire BushongValley Public Library

402 359 9924cbushong@valley.omhcoxmail.com

Gary BrownG W Brown Company

402 359 5801gw2brown@earthlink.net