Catalyst Grant Final Report
“Nature Discovery Backpacks”
Please provide a brief narrative explaining your project and its outcomes.
For the Nature Discovery Backpacks, we researched what other libraries had in similar backpacks and purchased the items. Simcha Glassman and Carol Johnson from OCPL Petit Branch Library were extremely helpful in advising us on what and where to purchase elements of the nature backpacks. They even shared links to specific items on Amazon, at L.L. Bean, and so on. The backpacks with all contents were ready to circulate by June 14th, 2024.
We talked the backpacks up at the front desk to individual patrons/families approximately 30 times, mostly in the summer and early fall. We did not talk them up at the front desk during the winter. We also talked up the backpacks additional times during children’s activities such as story time. The kits are searchable in the OCPL catalog under “Nature Discovery Backpack.”
Each of the four Nature Discover Backpacks include: one backpack, adult binoculars, child binoculars, compass, headlamp, book – “On the Nature Trail”, book – “On the Bird Watch”, plastic tweezers for obtaining specimens, scavenger hunt cards, four folding pocket guides on New York State (familiar animals, trees and wildflowers, birds, and butterflies and months), compass, magnifying glass, bug-catcher, blank paper and crayons, and a small pouch to hold the smaller items. We have a good supply of crayons, paper, plastic tweezers, and scavenger hunt cards to restock the backpacks as needed. We added a note to the bug-catchers to tell patrons to release the bug once it had been examined, and that the bug-catcher needed to be returned empty!
As noted below under evaluation, we consider these backpacks to be a successful addition to the library’s holdings. Because we had the grant money to help us purchase quality materials, the backpacks will be available to LaFayette families for a long time.
What is the most remarkable accomplishment or finding of your project?
Most patrons reported using the backpacks in their own backyards rather than out on a hike at a county or state park. The kids were fascinated to see the animals that could be found in their immediate surroundings. One patron even took the backpack out and immediately used the included “Bug Catcher” to look at ants on the concrete in front of the library! I was a little surprised by this. I thought the backpacks would be used more on trails and at parks but am glad the local mini-creatures were fun for the kids to examine.
How did your project differ from what you originally proposed?
We ended up receiving funds for four backpacks rather than two, but that worked out very well. I am excited to have these available as spring approaches! We will begin talking them up again and explaining what is available to nature-loving families.
Please provide a brief summary of your evaluation activities and/or results, if available.
Our criteria for a successful project, as written in our project application, was that “the items circulate as least once a month during good weather (through October). That would have been around 5 circulations apiece, or 20 circulations total. The four backpacks together circulated a total of 19 times during the 10 months we have had them. We also indicated in our application that we would consider direct feedback from patrons when evaluating the success of the project. Patrons that borrowed the backpacks expressed great satisfaction with them. Another positive result was that patrons became more aware of and checked out park passes and other non-book items that they did not know are available to them. (We talked up those other items at the same time as we talked up the backpacks.)
Anything else you’d like us to know?
We added a little of our own money to get bug-catchers for the backpacks, and they were a great addition! Highly recommended.
Jessica Rice
Library Director, LaFayette Public Library
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