The SciStarter team is back from the Conference for Advancing Participatory Sciences in Portland, Oregon. Here’s what shared.
Onboarding Research Libraries to Citizen Science
Darlene Cavalier (SciStarter and Arizona State University) joined colleagues Karen Ciccone (North Carolina State University), Anne Kathrine Overgaard , Thomas Kaarsted and Linnea Harboe (all from the University of Southern Denmark), shared perspectives on the promises and challenges research libraries face in introducing, organizing, and scaling citizen science to support faculty and students. Fortunately, Marcel LaFlamme (Association of Research Libraries) was in the session along with others who helped connect important dots such as the creation of a Citizen Science Interest Group at ARL which will exchange knowledge and potentially resources with the Citizen and Community Science Library Network, consisting of close to 1300 public libraries. Although research libraries (serves the university’s goals) and public libraries (serves the publics’ interests) often have different goals and audiences, there are clear benefits to share knowledge between the two and the new interest group is one step in that direction. View slides.
Global Interest in Public Libraries as Community Hubs for Citizen Science
Tara Cox and Emma Giles (SciStarter), partnered with Clea Montanari (European Citizen Science Association), Nurfarawahidah Badruesham, Universiti Malaya/Citizen Science Asia) and Vivienne Byrd (Los Angelos Public Libraries) to highlight a range of strategies and case studies to show how libraires of varying capacities are serving as community hubs for citzien science. See presentation slides.
Exploring How Public Libraries in the U.S. Can Facilitate Public Engagement with Science
Haley Smith (North Carolina State University) presented research from her recently completed dissertation, involving interviews with members and partners of SciStarter’s Citizen and Community Science Library Network. This research examined the potential of citizen science programs at public libraries across the US to support science socialization among participants and librarians. She found that libraries demonstrate strong potential for supporting access to science, accumulation of experiences with science, and social support related to engagement with science. Librarians also develop competencies and science identities through their work facilitating citizen science programming. Haley’s research will inform future trainings and resources for libraries offered by SciStarter. View slides.
SciStarter Ambassador Program: Impact, Challenges, Aspirations
Tara presented the SciStarter Ambassador Program poster showing the growth, impact, and aspirations of this new program designed to support Libraries as Community Hubs for Citizen Science. See Poster.
Citizen Science Month Through the Years
Emma presented the Citizen Science Month Through the Years poster showing the origins, growth, impact, aspirations, challenges and opportunities of this program designed to engage as many people as possible in a broad array of scientific research projects in one month (April). See Poster.
Train the Trainer: Introducing Facilitators to Citizen Science
We capped off our participation at the Science for All Showcase at the World Forestry Center where we mingled with old and new friends, reflected on the week, and introduced educators, librarians and museum professionals to the wonderful world of participatory sciences!
