A family stares up at the partial solar eclipse on the Shepherdstown Public Library patio on Monday. Courtesy photo

The event, which was organized by Youth Service Librarian Jessie Ward, featured a wide number of activities and crafts related to the eclipse. Attendees gathered together at 2:30 p.m., ready to get a clear glimpse of the moon almost passing over the sun, with their homemade pinhole cameras and eclipse viewing glasses. The eclipse peak time for Shepherdstown proved to be almost 50 minutes after the event began, at 3:19 p.m., when 91 percent of the sun was covered by the moon, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

“It’s eclipse mania here on the library patio! We welcomed 175-plus community members to the library for today’s eclipse viewing,” said SPL Social Media & Adminstrative Assistant Caitlin Kelch after the viewing party, on Facebook. “We even got to renew and issues some library cards! All in all, a win-win situation.”

Ward originally came up with the idea to hold a viewing party from a comment made by her son, who mentioned that the partial solar eclipse would be happening on his birthday. Plans then began to grow in Ward’s mind, as she realized there might be the need for an event where the partial eclipse could be viewed in a fun and safe environment. From there, Ward thought up a number of fun ways to commemorate the event, such as presenting an information session on the celestial phenomenon, providing eclipse viewing glasses for attendees, having crafts for children to draw out their own eclipse with pastels on black paper and playing a television in the library Commons Room with NASA’s live coverage of the full solar eclipse from the Glenn Research Center in Ohio.

Ward attributed the larger-than-anticipated turnout being related to Jefferson County Schools’ decision to dismiss school two hours early for the day, to avoid any potential injuries on school grounds related to the eclipse.

Community members crowd together to watch the solar eclipse from the Shepherdstown Public Library patio on Monday. Courtesy photo

For those in attendance, the event had proved to be a huge success.

“[It was a] very nice event!” said Tara Dickinson on Facebook, after attending the viewing party with her son. “All the activities made it more special.”

Fellow attendee Vicki Hodziewich completely agreed with Dickinson.

“Great event at the library!” Hodziewich said on Facebook. “So exciting!”

Youth Service Librarian Jessie Ward, right, shows children some kinds of eye protection from the partial solar eclipse on Monday. Courtesy photo