Redwood Shores Library Interpretive Center upgrade in the works

Redwood Shores Library Interpretive Center upgrade in the works

in Education/Featured/Headline and

A fundraising effort has been launched to upgrade the Redwood Shores Library Interpretive Center.

Gordon and Betty Moore provided a $50,000 grant to start kick start the renovation process for the 10-year-old center that receives regular visits from local elementary schools.

The Redwood City Library Foundation is spearheading the fundraising effort. To donate toward upgrades, visit rclfdn.org.

“Some displays have faded; others have missing or broken pieces,” the Foundation reported in its latest newsletter. “The wetlands itself has evolved due to climate change and rising sea levels, which has changed the associated wildlife and plants, and the center’s displays and data need to be updated accordingly.”

The Foundation wants to update the Interpretive Center “with modern technology that allows more interactivity with the flexibility to change information.”

Library staff has worked with students from Design Tech High School to design the planned upgrade. Ten students from the Oracle-supported public charter high school conducted interviews with library users to determine what improvements are needed.

The Interpretive Center currently features windows overlooking the wetlands; outdoor displays depicting wetland birds; interactive indoor displays showing wetland animals and plants; and a large aquarium housing living native fish and plants. Other exhibits include a Build a Bird activity, bird footprints, a mud sculpture, and a recycling display, according to the Foundation.

Photo courtesy of San Mateo County