Library celebrates April as Citizen Science Month

GROSSE POINTE PARK — Regardless of whether you looked forward to science classes or struggled through them, anyone can contribute to the field of scientific knowledge.

April is Citizen Science Month, and the Grosse Pointe Public Library — a SciStarter hub for Citizen Science — is partnering with SciStarter.org and Arizona State University to encourage members of the public to engage with the world around them and participate in “One Million Acts of Science” this month.

The Ewald Branch of the Grosse Pointe Public Library in Grosse Pointe Park will be hosting a Citizen Science Celebration at 4:30 p.m. April 24. Sally Wenczel, a local children’s book author, will be reading her book, “Let’s Build a Rain Garden!” and discussing the importance of native plants. This all-ages event will offer hands-on activities and teach participants about Citizen Science and how they can get involved.

And residents are encouraged to act as citizen scientists throughout the month.

“There is a way for all of us to make a difference, no matter what their background is,” said Kelly Konieczki, of Grosse Pointe Park, an outdoor educator for the GPPL.

From human health to astronomy to biodiversity, Citizen Science research projects vary but can be done from anywhere. Most only need access to a smartphone to record and submit their findings.

“A million observations in one month is ambitious,” Darlene Cavalier, founder of SciStarter and professor of practice at Arizona State University, said in a press release. “But there’s a real need for these Acts and this data for hundreds of research projects. We’re hoping that with participation from everyone from school groups to families, from working professionals to seniors we can reach our goal, and make a real impact on important scientific research.”

Starting April 15, the GPPL will offer to-go kits such as a do-it-yourself rain gauge. Konieczki said the library also offers an observing-pollinators kit that participants can check out and use to look for and log the bees, butterflies and other pollinators they see in their own yards. Some of the kits can be borrowed from the library, while others can be kept.

“Citizen Science is science that can be done by the average person,” Konieczki said. “It’s an opportunity for people to go out and do science … and send their research (in).”

Konieczki herself doesn’t have a science background — she’s an artist — but she has become passionate about Citizen Science and has taken a number of classes, including one that trained participants to become master rain gardeners.

As part of the tool collection at the Central Branch of the Grosse Pointe Public Library in Grosse Pointe Farms, residents can borrow items that could be used by a citizen scientist, including binoculars, an air quality detector and a telescope. There’s a seed library as well that’s available March 1 to May 31 for those who’d like to grow native plants and create a more conducive environment for pollinators and other species.

Inspired by the 1,000 Hours Outside movement — an attempt to balance the amount of time people spend on screens with time in nature — Konieczki started holding monthly events at the library during the pandemic, at a time when indoor, in-person events were either banned or discouraged.

While indoor activities have since returned, Konieczki’s year-round monthly outdoor events remain popular, attracting varying numbers of participants each time. She said they’ve had full moon parties, mud parties, outdoor walks and more.

“We really try to gear it to all ages,” Konieczki said. “We have young families and we do also have seniors.”

Last year, the GPPL became a SciStarter hub for Citizen Science, joining hundreds of other libraries, as well as schools, community organizations, federal agencies and more.

“Our Girl Scouts absolutely loved the idea of learning how to collect data, make observations and come up with a hypothesis, let alone do all the field work themselves,” Stacey Leinen, a Girl Scouts troop leader, said in a press release. “It was amazing to see the excitement and knowing that my girls were learning something by actually getting out and DOING instead of being inside.”

The Ewald Branch of the Grosse Pointe Public Library is located at 15175 E. Jefferson Ave. in Grosse Pointe Park. To register for the April 24 event, visit grossepointelibrary.org or call (313) 821-8830. For more about One Million Acts of Science, visit scistarter.org.