Forty years ago the summer blockbuster, “Jaws” elicited fear in the hearts of thousands of moviegoers. Although it was a hit in the box office, the negative connotation that came with sharks after it was released was truly horrifying for the species. An apex predator that had been around for millions of years was now being sought out and killed because people assumed that they would get eaten should a shark be nearby.
Dean Fessler from the Shark Research Institute in Princeton will be here at the library on Monday, July 6th at 11:00 am to kick off our own version of Shark Week programming with “Why Sharks Are Not Scary”, which will explain why sharks are very much needed in the ocean ecosystem and why they should not be feared. This program will be suitable for children ages 5 and older.
On Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 pm, children and their caregivers are invited to visit the third floor for our “Fins Up” storytime, where we will read silly books about sharks and make our very own shark fins that we’ll parade around the third floor! This program will be suitable for children ages two and older.
Shark Week continues on Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm with a special presentation of the film “Shark Girl” which was recently screened at our Princeton Environmental Film Festival and recieved great feedback from those in attendance.
And finally, brush up on your knowledge about all things shark related at discovery.com and come to our Jeopardy style “Shark and Ocean Trivia” contest on Thursday, July 9th at 6:00 pm to close out our week of shark programs. Although prizes will not be awarded we will have some shark related snacks, fun and a chance to show off how much you know about sharks. What could be better?
Mark your calendar and join us. Shark Week programs may just change your opinion about these creatures of the deep.