The Gilmer County Library is inviting adults, teens and children to take part in the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, an educational program in which participants count and identify busy insects.
The outdoor “parking lot program” will take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, in the library’s DIG (Design, Inspire, Grow) garden maintained by the Gilmer Master Gardener Extension volunteers.
Participants will have 30 minutes to settle on a marked planted spot and identify and count any insects they see.
“It’s for all ages and, for our program, we will have preselected spots. Allowing half an hour ensures that library staff and the Master Gardeners on hand will be able to safely assist participants, replenish supplies and enjoy the project,” said Jessica Tibbetts, the library’s public services specialist.
Social distancing and other safety precautions will be part of the program, which is the first live educational event to be held at the library in months.
“Master Gardeners will set up at the entrance to the DIG and will also act as our crowd control. They will hand out individual count sheets, pencils and clipboards and will also be our default timers,” said Tibbetts. “There will be a sign indicating where to count for up to 10 people at a time to ensure the social distancing requirements. Masks, hand sanitizer and wipes will be available at the entrance for patron use per library guidelines. We will be wearing our masks and we request that people wear their masks.”
Participants with children will be able to pick up prize bags after completing their pollinator counts, Tibbetts said.
“The prize bags will be set up in a similar manner to our current Sidewalk Service pick-up arrangement allowing for minimal contact. Patrons will then be directed by library staff to exit the space away from the entrance, allowing for the next time slot’s participants to check in. Completed count sheets and clipboards will be placed in a plastic bin as a holding area until the Master Gardeners can retrieve them. Patrons may also keep the pencils,” she added.
This will be the first time the library has taken part in the statewide pollinator census coordinated by the University of Georgia Extension Service.
Tibbetts said the insect count is modeled after a similar educational program, The Great Backyard Bird Count. The library also invited the public to participate in that activity this past February.
“I love the idea of citizen science and the library seems like a great fit to work with our residents who want to participate in a science project. The garden is a wonderful space and I’m excited to be able to use it,” she added. “If it goes well, I would very much like to do more (outdoor) events, especially as the weather starts to get nicer before it gets cold. It will be a good time to get outside.”
Advance registration is required for the activity and anyone interested in participating can register by visiting the library at 268 Calvin Jackson Drive or by calling 706-635-4528.
“If a parent comes with two or three kids, each one of those people counts (toward) the groups of 10 that we can do. We’re asking that everybody registers each person that’s going to be there,” Tibbetts said.
The library is also offering internet and computer access for anyone who has not yet completed the 2020 U.S. Census.
“We have two Census stations set up so and they are separate from our public access computers. This is an excellent time to segue the two important counts,” Tibbetts noted.