Check out a Virginia State Park by checking out at your local library.

A partnership between the Library of Virginia, Virginia State Parks and the Science Museum of Virginia will provide more than 119 libraries with four nature backpacks each. Available to check out, the backpacks will help families learn about nature in their backyard, in a local park or at one of Virginia’s 36 state parks.

“Today children spend less time outdoors and even less immersed in nature-based activities,” Virginia State Parks Director Craig Seaver said. “These backpacks will provide opportunities for families to venture out to a park.”

Each backpack comes with a parking pass that allows the library customer to visit any Virginia State Park at no cost. Backpacks also feature pocket guides to bugs and slugs, animal tracks, Virginia birds, mammals, and Virginia trees and wildflowers; a port-a-bug field observation container; a “Big Foot Leave No Trace Ethics Card”; a magnifying lens; a dip net; and laminated sheets with suggested activities designed by both Virginia State Parks and the Science Museum of Virginia.  

“How I wish there had been a resource such as this when my daughter was young,” Librarian of Virginia Sandra Treadway said. “The Library of Virginia is delighted to help make these backpacks available to Virginia families through communitybased public libraries across the commonwealth.”

The Science Museum of Virginia developed a short survey that patrons will complete to help evaluate the program. The museum also coordinated assembling the backpacks with the help of 20 volunteers from CarMax.

More backpacks will be made available as additional libraries participate in the program. More information on the Institute of Museum and Library Services can be found at https://www.imls.gov/.