Lending library saves schools time and money

Over 50% of West Virginia’s children in public schools are from low-income families and half of the state’s schools are designated as Title I, experiencing high poverty. As a result of West Virginia’s resource-based funding formula, over half of the state’s youth lack access to the high-tech equipment and innovative learning tools available to students in higher-income school districts. 

West Virginia State University 4-H’s Discovery Days and Lending Library programs offer free educational resources to children and teachers who otherwise may not have access to these innovations. 

Discovery Days are interactive and immersive learning experiences that bring science to life. These are typically 1- to 2-day school programs that feature a variety of technologies such as Starlab Digital Dome and Augmented Reality Sandbox. The format varies by theme, but all Discovery Days feature hands-on learning. For example, at Space Discovery Day, students typically spend 45 minutes exploring astronomy: 20-25 minutes in the Starlab and 10-15 minutes per station. 

Lending Library is a free loan program that offers teachers educational boxes, kits and assorted assets that are tailored to their specific teaching needs. Each item aligns with West Virginia’s K-12 curriculum standards and activities are connected to those standards. Each kit includes an inventory list, evaluation, K-12 WV Standards, vocabulary, curriculum, supplementary materials, worksheets and manuals. 

Over a four-year period, Discovery Days and Lending Library reached 22,019 students, 140 classrooms and 26 counties. Lending Libraries save schools an average of $400 in time, equipment and materials while one Discovery Day saves a school approximately $55,000 in time, equipment and materials. In total, Discovery Days and Lending Library efforts have saved West Virginia educators and schools $1.7 million. 

West Virginia State University Cooperative Extension Program | Project supported by 1890 Extension capacity funds; USDA Capacity – Extension.