Research shows that spending time outdoors is associated with better mental and physical health, so the Santa Barbara Public Library invites the community to explore the great outdoors with the help of a new collection of items to borrow.
The collection is called Adventure Packs.
They’re part of a project funded by a grant from the state and administered by the California State Library. Programs and events will complement this new library collection and will be held throughout the spring.
Adventure Packs feature equipment and literature to help you head out into nature. The library’s goal is to make outdoor activities accessible for all ages.
All packs have bilingual Spanish and English instruction inserts and descriptions. Adventure Packs include items ranging from a stand-up paddle board to a family fishing kit. When you use your library card to borrow these items from the library, there’s no need to rent items, find storage space for gear, or commit to purchasing your own.
Library cardholders can find the Adventure Packs in the SBPL catalog, place a hold, and receive a notification when it’s ready to be picked up. Visit the Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, to check out an Adventure Pack and borrow it for three weeks.
Adventure Packs were designed to complement Parks Passes, which check out for one week and are good for admittance and parking to more than 200 state parks, including nearby Gaviota State Park, Chumash Painted Cave State Park and Carpinteria State Beach. State Parks, in partnership with the First Partner’s Office and the California State Library, are providing free vehicle day-use entry to over 200 participating State Parks with the use of a Parks Pass.
The Santa Barbara Public Library will be hosting several Parks Pass Grant events to introduce topics that you’ll be able to explore further at sttate and local parks.
Family events related to the Parks Pass Grant include “Chumash Painted Cave: Family Stories,” a painting event with Alain Salazar and Mona Lewis, Eyes in the Sky bird encounters in English and Spanish, and more.
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