(From the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library)

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly has been chosen as the featured title for the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library’s 2024 CommunityREAD. The selection is the New York Times bestselling true story of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s African-American female mathematicians that played a crucial role in America’s space program. Since there is a very fortunate astronomical event occurring in April of 2024, we have the opportunity to celebrate CommunityREAD in a brand-new way.

Usually, CommunityREAD culminates with the author of the chosen book giving a presentation about the title.  Because Hancock County is in the path of totality of the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse, the library has chosen in lieu of the author visit, to invite the Imagination Station to share in the CommunityREAD and eclipse excitement. They will visit the library to help educate and inform the community about science and space with hands-on fun for the whole family. 

Library Director Sarah Clevidence was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to discuss CommunityREAD.

Participants in the Imagination Station event will have an out-of-this-world experience learning about our solar system by way of 12 interactive stations throughout the library. They include: – Soil Observations – Classifying Rocks – Eclipse Exploration – Bear’s Shadow – Investigating Clouds – Objects in Motion – Land Cover – Star Formation – Space Bingo – Phases of the Moon – Spacecraft Design & Film Canister Rockets.   Attendees will discover how stars are born, learn facts about the objects in the solar system, learn about the moon’s phases, and explore how objects orbit each other. 

The event will also feature the Imagination Station’s giant inflatable STARLAB^®.  Once inside the STARLAB^®, this large planetarium will transform the library into a beautiful sky. Participants will have an amazing adventure while learning the science behind the solar eclipse. The event is slated to take place on March 16, 2024 from 10 AM-3 PM.

 ***Registration for STARLAB® has closed, as the reservation list if full, but please join us for the amazing 12 interactive stations from The Imagination Station! 

There will be an evening presentation by Laura Freeman, illustrator of the picture book version of Hidden Figures, on Wednesday, March 6 at 7pm at the Mazza Museum.