Libraries have always been the melting pot of educational opportunities for the communities they serve. At Pine River Library we decided to introduce live animals into our programming and social media presence to help foster a greater understanding of non-traditional pets and to help people embrace less furry creatures.

We have Asmo, the rescue corn snake, Epipidabates poison dart frogs, varieties of fish, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, and our newest addition Tad Cooper, a bearded dragon. These animals, especially Asmo, have become hugely popular pieces of our library and have allowed us to create programming that is both educational and outside the box!

These Science Corner staples have become part of our yearly Summer Reading content, have their own social media pages, and have allowed us to broaden our reach to people of all ages who may fear animals like this as well as people who have lots of questions about less common types of pets. As libraries work to fit into less traditional roles the addition of a science corner can help bridge the gap between being a book warehouse and providing hands-on learning. Let us answer your questions on why building a Science Corner in your library can be an awesome addition!