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LPL, The MOST Combine for a Shining Rock, Gems and Minerals Project

23 months ago

The folks from the Museum of Science and Technology in downtown Syracuse's Armory Square and the LPL's librarians have combined for an educational project designed to enlighten young minds in the community about the earth's collections of rock, minerals and gems.

The components of the grant-fueled project is the subject of this week's community library column for the Eagle News Online/Star Review.

Deanna educates copy

LPL coordinator of Community Engagement Deanna McGregor talks to a Tween group as part of the MOST-LPL grant.

 

If you haven't yet seen the column, you can read it here:

This year’s collaboration between the Liverpool Public Library and the MOST will endure past the event Treasures in the Rough.
 
Educators from the Museum of Science and Technology in downtown Syracuse’s Armory Square will teach interested students of science about the three major types of rocks and how scientists study and classify them. Earth is one of the four rocky planets, so they’ll bring mineral and gem samples for all to view up close.
 
The event takes place at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 21, in the Carman Community Room. Register to attend from our calendar page.
 
A grant secured in conjunction with MOST brings for LPL patrons of all ages an exciting collection of educational materials that will be available in the Children’s Room, through the LPL2Go Mobile Tech Van and online.
 
In the Children’s Room will be a kit that includes geological costumes children can wear to feel like scientists exploring to find these rocks, gems and minerals in the wild. The kit also includes facsimiles of geodes, the colorful spherical rocks that are found in nature. Children can play with the copies and learn from information in the kit.
 
Real gems and minerals will travel in the LPL2Go community engagement van as part of a traveling exhibit of books and toys meant to nurture children’s interest in geology at pop-up stops around Liverpool. The laptops and WiFi access in the van also will allow patrons to view the MOST’s digitized versions of their rock, gem and mineral exhibits downtown.
 
“The great thing about the ARPA grant was that it allowed The MOST to digitize an exhibit that would’ve only been accessible to children who could go to the museum. Now anyone will be able to experience it online,” said Joellyn Murry, LPL’s coordinator of Children’s and Family Services. “This is particularly beneficial for schools, as the exhibit was built around the geology curriculum for students.”
 
This program is sponsored in partnership with the Phillip Cooper Hewitt Gem & Mineral Gallery. The Phillip Cooper Hewitt Gem & Mineral Gallery s supported in part with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the New York State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).