Overview of the project

Project leader: Samantha Bennett, samantha@saao.ac.za
Project Location: South Africa

Project Description:
The SAAO (South African Astronomical Observatory) library wants to create astronomy awareness in our communities. The idea is to identify ten public libraries (5 per Province) per annum and create astronomy corners. This will be done in conjunction with the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture Western Cape and Northern Cape and the City of Cape Town Library Services and Northern Cape Provincial Library services as public libraries report to these departments. The project will only benefit the Western Cape and Northern Cape Provinces and when established and sustainable, it will be rolled out to other provinces too.

The SAAO library shall supply all books and informative material to the identified libraries and also include an astronomy training workshop for the ten librarians. The librarians have to dedicate a week or month to astronomy and have activities with the children as per the training supplied by the SAAO. Feedback reports have to be submitted.

We are aware that astronomy is part of primary school curricula. Communities in previous disadvantaged areas are always left behind with less growth, especially in science and technology development. The aim of this project is to create science awareness, with emphasis on astronomy in these communities. Educating children from a younger age in astronomy will grow love and passion for the field and soon new emerging young astronomers will be visible.

About the project leader:
Samantha Bennett is the librarian at the South African Astronomical Observatory. She has extensive experience with library management and administration and studied Information Science and Technology.