By Sarah Mahan

The Selma Times-Journal

Visitors to the Selma-Dallas County Public Library’s Diggin’ Dinos programs not only watched a presentation on dinosaurs, but had the opportunity to hold a Tyrannosaur Rex claw.

The program, held Monday as part of the library’s Imagination Summer 2013, allowed local children to explore the prehistoric world of dinosaurs from the convenience of an air-conditioned room.

Andrew Mobley, a science education partnership coordinator for the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, led Monday’s program, which he said is a way for children to gain hands-on learning experience.

“Kids love dinosaurs, and this program gives the children the opportunity to hold fossils and touch some of the things they are learning about during the program,” Mobley said. “Hopefully the program encourages children to check out books about what they’ve learned today.”

The children headed to check out books only after they had the opportunity to touch the claws, jaw bones and teeth Mobley brought for the event. Aside from the T-Rex claws, the hissing cockroaches were a crowd favorite  — in spite of being kept in a glass jar.

Whitt Bowline, who wants to become a paleontologist, said he enjoyed the dinosaur program.

“My favorite part [of the program] was the hissing cockroaches. I wish I could have touched them,” Bowline said after exploring Mobley’s fossils. “I want to be a paleontologist, so I really liked getting to learn something new.”

Mobley said the library’s program is a part of the McWane Science Center’s educational outreach opportunities.

“This program is a way for the science center to educate kids from across the state,” he said. “We drive pretty much anywhere in Alabama to hold these programs and encourage children to learn something new.”

The Diggin’ Dinos program kicked off the public library’s last week of Imagination Summer 2013. Becky Nichols, director of the library, said she the program had an excellent turnout.

“Although most summer programs are ending, we had three school groups come this afternoon,” Nichols said. “The remaining children all came with their parents. It is wonderful to have over 250 people attend our program, even as summer draws to an end.”

The library’s remaining programs include two puppet shows and an “Open House Art Finale.”