Library Telescope Program
Did you know?
Library patrons can check out telescopes from their library similar to how they check out books and other media.
This provides them with hands-on experience of viewing objects in our universe with a small, easy to use, and high quality telescope. With it they may see the moon and its craters, Jupiter and its bands, Saturn and its rings, and many of the brighter star clusters and nebulae.
The Longmont Astronomical Society has donated telescope kits to the libraries below.
Libraries with available telescopes
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Longmont Public Library
We donated 5 telescope kits in the fall of 2014 and early 2015. We received a grant from the Horkheimer Foundation for a sixth telescope in September 2015; the items to complete that kit were also donated by LAS. Be sure to check out the video 'To Scale: The Solar System' on the library’s website.
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Louisville Public Library
In 2026, we donated 2 telescope kits and received a Horkheimer Foundation grant for a third telescope; we also donated items to complete that kit.
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High Plains Regional Library District
The LAS has donated and assembled 3 telescopes kits for the High Plains Library District. We have also assembled an additional 11 kits for them.
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Broomfield Public Library
We donated 2 telescope kits in January 2018.
Typical telescope kits include:
Orion StarBlast 4.5” Altazimuth reflector telescope
Orion EZ-Finder (attached to telescope)
Celestron Zoom Eyepiece (attached to telescope)
Laminated Instruction Manual
Book: NightWatch – A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe by Terrence Dickinson
Headlamp
Tote
