It's been a year since tri-town libraries began their My Own BackYard program (MOBY for short) to encourage kids and their families to explore the great outdoors.

Library directors built up a curriculum around the idea and secured a $10,000 grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners to carry it out, using the funds for a year of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) programs. They also got help from Michelle Cusolito of Rochester, who spearheaded many of the science activities.

"It was a collaborative effort between all three libraries, but also all three communities," said Plumb Library Director Gail Roberts. "We hope to continue that enthusiasm."

Events throughout the year included a tour of Woody Hartley's cranberry bog in Rochester, an Explore the Shore program with the Buzzards Bay Coalition in Mattapoisett, and soon, a tree walk in Marion with Tree Warden Margie Baldwin.

Mattapoisett Library Director Susan Pizzolato said the collaborations with community members made for better turnouts at events, and it expanded patrons' ideas about what a library is.

"I think people learned more about what's possible at the library," she said. "We just had a great year."

A major part of the grant was also a set of backpacks that could be checked out and used in the wild. Each library has backpacks with different themes, from bats and tapping maple trees to stargazing and gardening.

Although the grant year has ended, the libraries will continue to complete the remaining backpacks, with each location having 15. Librarians also said they hope to continue collaborating with people in the area for future events.

The program has also gained the attention of other libraries and library organizations across the country, including the School Library Journal and the American Library Association.