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Bird Club Partners With Library For Project
Could you use a pair of binoculars to go birding, tips for birding with your kids, or recommendations for local birding hotspots? Now you can check out a Birding Backpack donated by the Rockbridge Bird Club and available from all branches of the Rockbridge Regional Library, including the bookmobile.
The Bird Club applied for and received a Community Grant from Washington and Lee University to help defray the cost of quality gear and reference material that a novice birder would need to find, identify and learn about the rich diversity of birds in Rockbridge and other parts of Virginia.
Each pack contains binoculars for both an adult and child, field guides for identifying Virginia birds, and a handbook developed by RBC members with instructions for using binoculars, tips for finding birds, and a list of local hotspots and birding apps.
Birding Backpacks are available to borrow from any branch of the Rockbridge Regional Library System. Patrons ages 18 and older – old enough to appreciate and take responsibility for the equipment – can check out a pack for one week and may renew it for a second week, unless there are hold requests. If a pack is unavailable, patrons may place a hold and be notified when it arrives.
The RRLS-RBC partnership is part of a nationwide trend in which libraries and bird clubs join forces to introduce the pleasure of birding to individuals and families unfamiliar with the activity or who may not have access to birding aids that make the experience more enjoyable.
The Rockbridge club was particularly inspired by the success of neighboring Roanoke Valley Bird Club in its effort to provide birding backpacks to Roanoke County libraries. When member Laura Neale proposed a similar joint project to the staff of the RRLS, they responded with enthusiasm.
According to Neale, “The mission of our club is to encourage the enjoyment, knowledge and conservation of birds in the Rockbridge area. By providing novice birders with the essentials for a positive birding experience, we hope they will also develop a better understanding of these amazing creatures and be motivated to help protect them.”
“RBC’s mission aligns perfectly with our own mission at the library to bolster the power of education, cultivate opportunities for learning, foster the fun in reading, and serve communities as information professionals” said Debi Ratliff, adult services system manager at the Rockbridge Regional Library.
“Birding backpacks are one example of the new Library of Things where communities have access to information not only through traditional forms such as books and databases, but also through experience and community.”
Ratliff added, “Over the years, I’ve worked with RBC members as they have accessed library meeting rooms and materials. I’ve been inspired by their excellent programs and efforts to spread not only knowledge of the natural world, but the joy inherent in birding as a hobby.”
