Upon receiving a grant from the Fayette County Community Foundation, MWA has created a lending library of outdoor gear and educational resources available to the public. This comprehensive and inclusive collection is located right in MWA’s office and items are available to be checked out during our office hours! There are diverse materials available for all ages, with extra items for small ones just beginning to explore the outdoors. It is our hope that this resource library will not only bring more members of our community through our door, but help get them outside in our beautiful watershed.
For People of All Ages
Available for rental are pre-packed children’s backpacks for different age ranges and different interests such as trees, bugs, and nature fun. We even have a backpack made specifically for wintertime activities when we sometimes need that extra motivation and inspiration to get outside.
These backpacks include guides, notebooks for nature journaling and drawing, activity packets, books, and more! The purpose of these backpacks is to help parents bridge the gap between their child and the outdoors and show them fun and easy ways for the whole family to get immersed in nature.
There is also a collection of field guides on topics included (but not limited to!): mushroom foraging, medicinal plants, freshwater fishing, tree identification, bird watching, and so much more. There are substantial educational materials available for local educators and teachers to use in their classrooms, thanks to a grant award from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Environmental Education grant program.
It is important to us that the Lending Library is inclusive to all ages and experience levels and that is why we will be offering such a wide variety of literature and materials. For instance, we will have children’s binoculars for first time birdwatchers and Bushnell binoculars for the avid adult birdwatcher! Children’s fishing poles and waders are also available thanks to a grant from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. This is an awesome way to quite literally test the waters with kids and try out a new hobby! For those really interested in exploring the wonders and inner workings of our watershed, we even have macroinvertebrate collecting kits!
It's completely free to rent items from the Lending Library! Just check them out at our office in Melcroft, and bring them back within a decided upon return date. Items can be rented for multiple days as we want people to be able to take them on camping trips or for educators to be able to utilize materials in their classroom, etc.!
Our Current Library Inventory:
Upcoming Educational Events
Join Lindsey, our education coordinator, to learn about the adaptations of aquatic birds’ beaks. In this all-levels, one-hour program, we’ll use a hands-on activity to discover which beaks are adapted…
Join Lindsey, our education coordinator, to learn the habitats of our native Pennsylvania fish! Participants will also learn to cast indoors with our “backyard bass” casting set. Then we’ll make…
Project WILD’s mission is to provide wildlife-based conservation and environmental education that fosters responsible actions toward wildlife and related natural resources. This award winning curriculum equips educators with the knowledge…