All eyes were out of the books and looking skyward Saturday as the Martindale Community Library hosted a Solar Eclipse Party, with free glasses and cosmic treats. A steady stream of children and families took turns on Main Street gazing at the Ring of Fire celestial display of the annular eclipse that transformed the heavens over Texas for much of the morning. Those views were punctuated by the ability to head inside the library to participate in the activities set up for them by staff and volunteers.
Martindale Librarian Ashley Guerrero and Library Board Member Mary Beth Harper were both on hand to welcome visitors and patrons.
Children and adults had an opportunity to learn about annular and other eclipses from a wide display of materials gathered for them and even were able to build a Solar and Lunar Eclipse Wheel designed to show the various phases of an eclipse.
That wheel and the glasses will come in handy once again on April 8, 2024 when a complete solar eclipse is expected to make Texas a tourist destination for visitors worldwide.
A retired science teacher, Harper said that this library is one of the smallest in the state but what it represents for the citizens of this community is large in scope. She noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the library was a lifeline for students and others who used its broadband services.
For Guerrero, a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin's prestigious School of Information, this position is a dream come true.
She said she hopes that more residents will be able to take advantage of the services offered by the library that has in excess of 10,000 items, including books, DVDs and audio materials.
