"Visions of the Universe: Four Centuries of Discovery"--tour

The American Library Association (ALA), in cooperation with the Space Telescope Science Institute, Office of Public Outreach, Baltimore, Maryland, and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts, invited public libraries to apply for a national tour to 40 sites of "Visions of the Universe: Four Centuries of Discovery," a traveling exhibition to mark the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) in 2009. The exhibit will travel from January 2009 through December 2010.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has provided major funding for the exhibit. Exhibit sponsors were especially interested in receiving applications from public libraries in small towns and rural areas that have limited access to NASA resources, as well as from public libraries in larger population centers. All libraries on the tour receive $500 programming support stipends and $250 collection development stipends.

The STScI Office of Public Outreach (OPO) is a world leader in astronomy presentation through news media, websites, planetarium shows, museum exhibits, curriculum support materials, professional development and other educational resources. Among the award-winning web sites created by OPO.

The Space Telescope Science Institute website for the “Visions of the Universe” library tour can be found at http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/visions/ .

Places:

April 8–June 12

Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka, KS
Oconto Falls Community Library, Oconto Falls, WI
Prescott Public Library, Prescott, AZ
Libraries of Stevens County, Loon Lake, WA
Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Alpena, MI
Waco-McLennan County Library, Waco, TX
Washington Public Library, Washington, MO
Ridgefield Library Association, Ridgefield, CT

July 1–September 4

Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO
Oelwein Public Library, Oelwein, IA
Hickam Base Library, Hickam Air Force Base, HI
Garfield County Library District, Rifle, CO
Chillicothe Public Library District, Chillicothe, IL
Terrebone Parish Library, Houma, LA
Roanoke Public Library, Roanoke, VA
Varnum Memorial Library, Jeffersonville, VT

September 23–December 11

Grant County Public Library, Williamstown, KY
Bloomington Public Library, Bloomington, IL
Weber County Library System, Ogden, UT
Cottage Grove Public Library, Cottage Grove, OR
Southfield Public Library, Southfield, MI
Blanco County South Library District, Blanco, TX
Mobile Public Library—Ben May Main Library, Mobile, AL
Cuyahoga County Public Library—Parma South Branch, Parma, OH

2010

January 13–March 26

Boone County Library, Harrison, AR
Stewart Library, Grinnell, IA
Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library, Sheridan, WY
Morton-James Public Library, Nebraska City, NE
Bartholomew County Public Library, Columbus, IN
Northwest Regional Library, Cape Coral, FL
Williamsburg Regional Library, Williamsburg, VA
East Meadow Public Library, East Meadow, NY

National Astronomy Exhibit Comes to Topeka

“Visions of the Universe: Four Centuries of Discovery,” an exciting new traveling exhibit that uses dramatic imagery from Galileo’s observations to the Hubble Space Telescope and other space missions to show how our understanding of the universe has changed over the last four hundred years, opens at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library’s Sabatini Art Gallery on April 22, 2009. The exhibit is part of the International Year of Astronomy, a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, highlighted by the 400th anniversary in 2009 of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo.

"Visions of the Universe: Four Centuries of Discovery" is presented by the Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland; the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and the American Library Association, Chicago, Illinois, through funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library is offering exciting free programs and other events in connection with the exhibit. Please call 785-580-4608 or visit www.tscpl.org for details.