The Chattanooga Public Library now has Library Telescopes that can be checked out.
"This exciting new collection is now available at the Eastgate Library, thanks in part to a partnership with Barnard Astronomical Society, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and The Library Telescope Program," officials said. "The idea of telescopes started in 2024 when the Eastgate Library first partnered with BAS and UTC to offer library nights at UTC’s Clarence T. Jones Observatory. The events demonstrated that the public wanted more educational opportunities, and so BAS and CPL worked together to create this new collection.
Luckily, the Library Telescope Program exists to help organizations do just that.
"Initially launched by the New Hampshire Astronomical Society in 2008, the international Library Telescope Program aims to inspire learning and exploration by making the night sky more accessible to everyone. With expert knowledge, they selected a high-powered telescope model that could be modified to be more durable and user-friendly for library patrons, and developed training and educational materials both for library staff and the public."
“I am so proud of all the hard work our Eastgate Library has put into making this new collection possible,” said CPL’s Executive Director Will O’Hearn. “From the partnerships they’ve built within our community to the opportunities that come from working with the Library Telescope Program, Eastgate has really developed something truly out of this world for our patrons. I hope everyone gets a chance to check out this stellar new collection.”
More information about the new Library Telescopes can be found by stopping by the Eastgate Library during regular business hours or online at chattlibrary.org/library-telescopes. To learn more about other library collections, as well as events, locations and hours, visit chattlibrary.org.