If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the Robot Zoo at the Boone County Public Library, time is running out.
The 5,000-square-foot traveling children’s exhibit based on the popular book, The Robot Zoo, been on display at the Main Library, 1786 Burlington Pike, in Burlington, since Oct 5.
Sunday is the last day for the exhibit, which is free.
The exhibit uses the biomechanics of giant robot animals to illustrate how real animals work.
A link to the the Trib preview is available here and a story that describes the experiences of visitors is included below.
By Shelly Whitehead
NKyTribune contributor
Remember when the web was emerging as the infinite source of research and reading, and doomsayers predicted “The End” for libraries?
Well, today’s libraries may be more popular than ever, because they’ve undergone a metamorphosis of sorts, becoming more like community centers than the inner sanctums of silence.
Take, for example, the sprawling Boone County Public Library in Burlington. Lately, it’s become one of the busiest places in bustling Boone County.
It is the nation’s first library to host the internationally renowned – and very interactive — Robot Zoo – at absolutely no charge to visitors.
That’s right, the same highly rated hands-on exhibit that made stops at places like Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry and the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. Free at the Boone County library. Thanks to support of the library’s board and a Duke Energy sponsorship, kids from miles around are getting a gander at the fun and fascinating robotic animals at no cost.
That makes a whole lot of little ones very happy, along with their financially relieved parents and grandparents.
“I think this is wonderful – this is fabulous,” said Florence resident, Maureen Sample, who attended with her rambunctious grandkids recently. “They wanted to know how much it cost and I said, ‘It’s free.’ And Reed said, ‘Well it probably isn’t any good then.’ And I said, ‘Oh no — it’s going to be very good!’ And it is – very good.”
Burlington mom Jill Hunt, agreed wholeheartedly as she watched her flock flutter around the mechanized wildlife.
“I’m a science teacher in high school, so I love that my kids can learn about science,” she said. “But the cool thing about this is — it’s free. It’s a great educational experience for kids and you don’t have to spend a lot of money.”
Exhibit makes teachers of the tiniest visitors
Boone County Public Library Assistant Director Shawn Fry says the exhibit – which runs through the end of February – represents a growing trend to move the library into the role of more active community participant. So with the push nationally to promote STEM – science, technology, engineering and math skills, the library wanted to bring in a hands-on exhibit that would ignite kids’ desire for that kind of knowledge.
“You’re seeing how an animal works if you were to break it down robotically. And that way you’re tying two different things together,” Fry said.
“A child came up and said, ‘It’s just like the zoo, but it’s different.’ So you’re tying into that. And on top of that you’re here and we can also show you books about this – we can broaden that knowledge. So we’re bringing you in on something and then we can really open it up and show you other ways to learn about this.”
Fry sees lots of proof that is really happening as a result of this exhibit, in the eagerness his pint-size visitors constantly show to re-teach their new knowledge about animals and robotics to just about anybody who’ll listen – kind of like the 10-year-old we found at the controls of the exhibit’s robotic rhino.
“So this is the rhino,” said Jonah Isaacs, in perfect show-and-tell mode. “Now, the point with this is you have to try to see how many places where it goes. Like the rhino head . . .will only go about this low,” he says deftly manipulating the controls of the metal beast. “See, it goes to right about here to reach down for grass.”
And because the exhibit is here and open during library hours, it’s much more accessible than when it was a packed attraction at museums nationally. That’s a godsend for kids with disabilities, like 8-year-old Emily Sousa, as her mom, Dawn, guided Emily’s hands on the controls of things like the chameleon’s super-sized tongue.
“She thought that was pretty cool because you can control the eyes and tongue,” Ms. Sousa said. “I think she’s getting the hang of it.”
Effect on book and visitor traffic
With all the jumping and shouting and clearly having fun, is there really any learning going on at this exhibit?
Fry says it’s clear from the feedback he’s getting that there is. In fact, this exhibit also has a teacher’s guide that is available to local schools who want to use it in the classroom.
Likewise, the library is tracking how the exhibit is affecting book selection and even overall traffic to see how knowledge is spreading and in what areas and age groups.
Fry said he is even getting requests from high schools as there applications for the zoo in teaching the older students in their classrooms – a fact that Union mom and high school teacher, Jill Hunt, said she was also pondering.
“When I was watching over here with the (house) fly thing, I thought there are so many connections I could take with my science class, but also mathematics and all the other things that can go into it.”
Nearby, Ms.Hunt’s daughters clearly concurred with her assessment. And, after going through all the animal stations, the two young ladies also showed a newfound appreciation for how tough life a bug’s life can really be when he has to catch dinner with his tongue.
“I liked when we had to try and shoot the insect” with the fly’s tongue, said Maya Hunt. “It teaches you about how you have to get it right on the right angle because, if you miss it, then that one is like ‘Woah!’ and he just flies away, and then there goes dinner!”
About Robot Zoo:
Where: Boone County Public Library
Ky. 18 in Burlington
What: Interactive wildlife robots teach kids
about animals, robotics and math.
Why: It’s fun and it’s FREE
When: Now through Feb. 28
Weekdays: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sat. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sun. 1 to 5 p.m.
Info: www.bcpl.org 859.342.BOOK (2665)