Mad Scientists

Frustrated by low attendance and a lack of enthusiasm for our summer reading programs, a colleague and I developed a Mad Science project at the east branch of the Asheville-Buncombe Library in North Carolina. We thought a science program would be fun and educational, and it would attract boys as well as girls. We also knew it would encourage a greater love for the library and teach kids how to follow directions and improve their interpersonal skills.

Before our first series of meetings two summers ago, we scoured dozens of kids' science books for experiments that were inexpensive and easy to do in a group setting. Two books that were particularly helpful were Super Science Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Fabulous Fun (Williamson, 1997) by Jill Frankel Hauser and Kitchen Science (DK, 2001) by Chris Maynard, both of which provided experiments using materials that were easily obtainable at the grocery store. We chose experiments that had a certain "wow" or "yuck" factor—a definite attraction for our seven- to 12-year-old target audience. And we excluded those that called for esoteric materials or required electricity or some other heat source out of fear that it might be hazardous in a library setting.

Before we began, I conducted various experiments to test their reliability. Then it was time for the fun to begin. For our first gathering, we divided a group of 50 students in half, and my colleague and I engaged them in an experiment with density. The children helped us layer corn syrup, water, and vegetable oil in an eight-ounce clear container. Some participants expected the ingredients to stay mixed, but almost immediately the liquids started to separate into layers, with the densest (corn syrup) on the bottom and the least dense (vegetable oil) floating to the top. The kids also learned how fat molecules break down by experimenting with a little milk, food coloring, and dishwashing soap. Groups of children poured milk into a plastic saucer and then added a few drops of liquid food coloring. The drops of food coloring remained unchanged because the fat in the milk prevented the water-based liquid from spreading. But when some dishwashing liquid was added to the mix, it broke up the milk's fat molecules, and the food coloring started to swirl like a kaleidoscope.

We held the program at my branch and at my colleague's branch, with each session lasting about an hour. Parents and their children were enthusiastic about the experiments, and kids were eager to check out books on science experiments. By comparison, only an average of 20 children and their parents showed up for a puppet-making program and an ice-cream-making program that same summer. Attendance at the Mad Science program even exceeded a program involving a paid performer, which typically draws the largest crowds.

We decided against requiring a sign-up sheet because we chose experiments that would accommodate anywhere from five to 50 kids. Although one librarian can conduct the program, I found that collaborating with a colleague was beneficial because it provided an exchange of ideas, and it's easier to manage large groups of kids.

In the fall of 2002, I developed a survey to gauge our patrons' programming needs and to determine if the summer science program's success was just a fluke. Most respondents checked science experiments as their favorite program, followed by book discussions, book clubs, and craft programs.

That's when I decided to hold the program during the school year. We promoted it in our library newsletter and distributed flyers to all of our branches. Most recently, we held Super Duper Science Saturdays in March, and the response was great. We made raisins "dance" by tossing them in cups of carbonated water, and, of course, we made a couple of variations of slime. The kids responded by saying "Awesome!" and "This is so neat!" There's nothing more gratifying than finding out what your patrons' needs are (fun, hands-on, and exciting programming), and then giving them exactly what they want.