Rowan Public Library 

Week nine of Rowan Public Library’s Summer Reading School Age program series will feature a program by ecoEXPLORE (Experiences Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education), an incentive-based citizen science program for children in grades K-8.

Developed by the North Carolina Arboretum, this innovative program combines science exploration with kid-friendly technology to foster a fun learning environment for children while encouraging them to explore the outdoors and participate in citizen science.

“Introduction to ecoEXPLORE” will introduce the audience to how they can participate in this exploration, including taking photos of wildlife, uploading to the ecoEXPLORE website, earning points, and winning prizes. The program will also discuss entomology, feature some live insects and explain how to earn the Beetles Badge.

Indoor, virtual, pre-recorded programs will be offered at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. at RPL Headquarters (Salisbury) on July 26, at RPL East (Rockwell) on July 28, and RPL West (Cleveland) on July 29.

On July 27, RPL South (China Grove) will offer an outdoor, in-person program at 10:30 a.m. and an indoor, virtual, pre-recorded program at 2 p.m. RPL South, an ecoEXPLORE LoanSpot, is located at 920 Kimball Road in China Grove. Its grounds include a short walking trail and a wildlife viewing station, and the Lake Corriher Wilderness Area is right across the road. Altogether, these outdoor features make the branch an ideal ecoEXPLORE LoanSpot.

ecoEXPLORE’s Citizen Science programs encourage volunteers of any age to collect and submit scientific information to real life scientists, which will assist in their research and data analysis. Scientists around the world need help collecting data. By becoming a citizen scientist, participants can help professional scientists understand changes in the environment and see how these changes impact plants, animals and other natural resources. To learn more about how to participate, visit www.ecoexplore.net.

After the program, attendees are encouraged to continue exploring science and entomology by checking out materials from the branch. Those who prefer digital materials and who don’t yet have a physical card are encouraged to sign up at bit.ly/RPLcard2021 to gain immediate access to digital materials. Later on, digital cards can be upgraded to physical cards for free at any RPL branch. Readers of all ages are encouraged to register and/or log their reading hours at rowanpubliclibrary.readsquared.com through Aug. 7 to be eligible for reading incentives.

School age programs are designed for rising kindergarten through fifth graders, though all ages are welcome, and the programs last approximately one hour. Admission is free. Each branch will also offer limited seating and ground coverings for audience members. A responsible caretaker (age 16+) must accompany children 8 and under. For assistance with ADA accommodations, call 704-216-8240. To learn more about Summer Reading at RPL, visit bit.ly/RPLSummer21.