1D-1 - (Invited) Sharing the Eclipse with Millions of Library Patrons & Training Science Teachers as 'Eclipse Agents'

Abstract: Thanks to a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and working together with the education staff at the Space Science Institute, we were able to distribute some 6 million safe-viewing eclipse glasses (and online information booklets) through about 15,000 public libraries nationwide. Assuming each pair of glasses was shared by three people, we reached 18 million members of the public this way. The libraries organized roughly 49,000 eclipse information and viewing events. In addition, the SSI staff did workshops and left solar science kits for all the state and territorial library systems. Through the National Science Teaching Association, we selected and trained over 300 school teachers to do eclipse outreach in their schools, districts, and communities. Some of them (and their students) came up with really innovative ways to reach the public with clear safe-viewing information and techniques. It is likely that this was the eclipse outreach project that reached the largest number of people in 2023-24.