The Chapel Hill Public Library was overrun with kids on Thursday.

Goats at Chapel Hill Public Library. Photo via Blake Hodge.

That may not sound unusual for the summertime at the library, but there was a wider variety than normal as the group included 24 goats brought in by Carrboro-based Goat Squad.

Library employees and visitors eagerly awaited the arrival of their four-legged counterparts with goat-themed activities on Thursday. Library experience assistant in the youth and family division Martha Waters also showed off her best goat impression before the professionals were dropped off for their work for the day.

Marketing and communication manager for the Chapel Hill Public Library Daniel Siler said this was part of vegetation control efforts as the library is expanding outdoor learning efforts into Pritchard Park.

“They’re going to come in and help clear up a lot of the loose brush and other vegetation that are in some of these areas of the park that are seeing a lot more pedestrian traffic ever since we added in some of the Explore More elements,” Siler said.

Goats at Chapel Hill Public Library. Photo via Blake Hodge.

The Explore More campaign is the library’s effort to focus on more STEAM education initiatives.

The goats were the next step in the natural clearing process, Siler said, after a controlled burn earlier this year.

“This is just sort of a continuation of natural ways of keeping the overall park healthy and happy,” Siler said. “I think that our partners over at Parks and Rec have been talking about bringing in goats for years, and this is just one of the first chances that we’ve had to actually do it.”

The goats are employed all over the state on projects of varying sizes, according to a Goat Squad employee.

“Basically, we let them sit in here for a few hours and graze,” she said. “In about three hours, all of this will be gone; you’ll be able to see right through the trees.”

Goat at Chapel Hill Public Library. Photo via Blake Hodge.

The Explore More campaign has been a big hit among some parents, including Stephanie, who was with her son Micah among the many Chapel Hillians out to take in the scene on Thursday.

“We love all [the library’s] events,” she said. “They’re very fun and educational.”

Micah was a big fan of the goats too, adding “I think that they’re nice.”

The goats were expected to work through three areas of Pritchard Park around the library throughout the day on Thursday.

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