Want to learn about plants, animals, rocks, water or astronomy? Borrow a backpack from Yellowknife’s library.
The initiative launches at noon on Thursday, when the charity Watersheds Canada will run a free drop-in nature workshop at the library inside the city’s Centre Square Mall.
“We’ve been partnering with the library over the last couple of months to build a new lending library,” said Watersheds Canada’s Monica Seidel.
“Families, individuals, adults and teachers will be able to borrow themed backpacks full of equipment, guides and activities.”
There are six themed backpacks on the topics of plants, animals, rocks, birds, astronomy, and fish and freshwater. Watersheds Canada describes itself as a national charity dedicated to river and lake protection.
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“There’s also a number of new books across toddler to adult that people can check out,” said Seidel, “to learn about local wildlife and plants and how to protect them.”
Depending on the backpack you borrow, you could find a selection of books, a pocket microscope, binoculars, magnifying glasses and tools like pails and shovels.
“The one that’s been the most fun is the astronomy,” said Seidel, asked to pick her favourite from the six.
“It comes with a small telescope inside, to be able to access something that we kind-of see every day when we’re looking up in the night sky, but actually to stop and think about it and learn more. I think that connection piece is really nice in that backpack.”
The backpack initiative started during the pandemic, Seidel said. The packs’ contents are customized to each location. The Yellowknife packs will be available from Thursday’s launch onward.
“It’s been really exciting to expand this program up north,” she added, noting the Yukon will be next on the list in the fall.
