Summer Reading Touch Tanks

            The South Carolina Aquarium visited Calhoun County Library last Thursday to educate everyone about the animals that live in our oceans.

            The first program for the Summer Reading was the South Carolina Aquarium on Thursday, June 23, 2022. With a crowd of over 100 people, we were all educated about many things about the ocean.

            The equipment used to dive into our deep oceans is called remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). They have cameras, lights, and arms to inspect as much as possible. However, a huge portion of our oceans is still undiscovered because of the immense pressure that is at the bottom of the ocean. We know more about space than we do about our oceans. Isn’t that crazy?

            What we have found at the bottom of the ocean is shocking. We would expect there to be tons of creepy creatures down there and there might be, but it has been made known that even our trash has made it that far. That is why it is important to always recycle and reuse. We don’t want to harm an environment before we can uncover what it has to offer.

            Fun facts:

                1. Sea stars (starfish) have an eye on each end of their arm.

                2. Horseshoe crabs have blue blood that is used for many medical inventions such as vaccines.

            The crowd got first-hand views when the animals came out! A few touch tanks were available for people to see how certain creatures felt. There was a sea urchin, sea star, hermit crab, conch crab, and horseshoe crab. Many children and adults came up to the table to touch these harmless animals. It was a huge hit with hands-on learning from the South Carolina Aquarium for our Summer Reading Program’s first performance.

            Each week, we will have a fun in-person program that starts at 10:30 AM on Thursdays with a provided snack. Next Thursday, June 30, 2022, is the “Bathtub Pirates” puppet show by Grey Seal Puppets. Come watch a kid save the day against pirates using only a bathtub toy as his ship!

            We would like to thank everyone who came to enjoy our summer reading programs. These programs are made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the South Carolina State Library. Thank you to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation; the funding received will support our summer reading program! Special thanks for support from Save the Children!