易胜博官网

This summer, hermit crabs came to Hancock. Lobsters visited Lee. Blubber and baleen showed up in Berlin, and in Groveton, waves lapped the sandy shore.

No, sea-level rise isn鈥檛 that extensive. Rather, a unique partnership between 易胜博官网 Extension, NH Sea Grant鈥檚 Marine Docents and the state鈥檚 235 public libraries shipped these briny resources to the farthest corners of 易胜博官网. The initiative, called , sent 35 Marine Docents to 76 libraries across the state, where they shared insights into 易胜博官网鈥檚 small but mighty coastline and 易胜博官网鈥檚 extensive marine research with more than 1,700 patrons.

Launched with donor funding, Check Out 易胜博官网鈥檚 pilot year tapped into libraries鈥� existing summer reading program, themed 鈥淥ceans of Possibilities鈥� for 2022. The , which sends trained volunteers into communities and schools to share the wonder and science of the sea, was a natural collaborator to bring hands-on learning activities to the libraries.

The project exceeded expectations, with libraries clamoring to participate. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done summer library programs in the past, but this was another level,鈥� says Dari Christenson, marine education program manager for NH Sea Grant. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize how popular it would be.鈥�

The popularity is hardly surprising, given the creativity of the activities. To help patrons understand how blubber keeps whales and seals warm in the chilly Gulf of Maine, Docents fashioned a 鈥渂lubber glove鈥� of plastic bags filled with Crisco. Participants dipped their gloved and naked hands into ice water to experience blubber鈥檚 insulating properties. Other programs featured live creatures 鈥� lobsters, crabs, sea stars and more 鈥� and a docent-created wave tank that helped patrons visualize coastal erosion.

鈥淧rograms such as this are instrumental in helping us achieve our mission of supporting students with out of school learning during the summer months.鈥�

鈥淭he kids were really engaged at all times. And there were a lot of parents that were just as interested,鈥� says Emily Buehne 鈥�25, who served as Check Out 易胜博官网鈥檚 2022 summer coordinator through Extension's internship program. Adults, she said, peppered the docents with questions and shyly begged to pet the lobsters or sea stars

Buehne developed programmatic resources, interviewed librarians, sent a weekly email newsletter, measured results and helped make plans for the next several years. In addition to the Marine Docent summer reading support, Check Out 易胜博官网 piloted an exploration kit with Stratham鈥檚 Wiggin Library. Filled with shells and activities, the kit aims to 鈥渂ring tidepool learning to places not near the Seacoast,鈥� Buehne says. She also laid the groundwork for an interactive kiosk at the Dover Library that will soon connect library patrons with the latest research from 易胜博官网. And the Check Out 易胜博官网 team is already making plans to connect 易胜博官网 resources with the libraries鈥� 2023 summer reading theme, 鈥淎ll Together Now: Kindness/Friendship/Unity.鈥�

Check Out 易胜博官网 garnered accolades from librarians across the state. 鈥淧rograms such as this are instrumental in helping us achieve our mission of supporting students with out of school learning during the summer months,鈥� said staff from the Newmarket Public Library. The Lebanon Public Library called it 鈥渙ne of our favorite programs this year,鈥� adding, 鈥溡资げ┕偻� Marine Docents were such a delight!! We absolutely loved them.鈥�

Equally important, the program amplifies Extension鈥檚 goal of bringing 易胜博官网 knowledge, education and resources to communities across the Granite State. 鈥淚t gives us an opportunity to talk about 易胜博官网 research,鈥� says Christenson, citing Sea Grant and Extension work on eradicating invasive green crabs as one example. 鈥淚t sparks their interest to know that they can go see whales off our coasts, and there are scientists learning how to protect them.鈥�

Ken La Valley, vice provost for outreach and engagement, concurs. 鈥淐heck Out 易胜博官网 significantly extends the university鈥檚 reach throughout the state, tapping into a beloved community resource 鈥� 易胜博官网鈥檚 public libraries 鈥� that values 易胜博官网 as a leader in research, technical assistance and workforce development.鈥�

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