Written by Kristen Marshall, Collection Development Librarian, March 21, 2016

I am very happy to announce that, thanks to a partnership between our library, the Library of Virginia, Virginia State Parks, and the Science Museum of Virginia, the Suffolk Public Library is now offering a total of eight nature backpacks for checkout!

These backpacks are designed to help children and their families learn more about nature. Each backpack comes with:

• Pocket guides about mammals, animal tracks, bugs and slugs, Virginia birds, and Virginia trees and wildflowers
• A pop-up bug cage
• A dip net
• A magnifying glass
• A “Leave No Trace” card
• Sheets of suggested activities
• A parking pass for all Virginia State Parks
• They’ll also come with a short paper survey about the backpacks.  I strongly encourage users to fill out the survey as the feedback will help the Library of Virginia in creating more great programs like this.

The backpacks are checked out just like any other library item.  You can have them for 3 weeks, place holds on them, and, if no one else has a hold, renew them for another three weeks!

We’ve also got displays up at our North Suffolk and Morgan locations with books to let you and your children learn more about nature and get some information about nearby state parks and our very own Great Dismal Swamp.

So come on in to one of our locations, check out a backpack, and go enjoy some of the amazing natural beauty that the commonwealth has to offer!