Imagination Library brings books to Barrow

Published on April 15th, 2010

By SANDY SOLENBERGER

On Saturday, March 27, over 100 children and adults gathered at Tuzzy Consortium Library in Barrow to enroll children ages four and under to receive a free book in the mail every month until they reach their fifth birthday.

The source of these books, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program, was officially launched in Barrow at this event, which featured a community potluck, storytelling and the distribution of the first of the free books to come - a commemorative edition of "The Little Engine That Could" with a letter from Dolly Parton.

Storytelling being the theme for the evening, Ilisagvik College Inupiaq Studies program coordinator Martha Stackhouse and Tuzzy youth services librarian Sara Saxton captivated the room with words.

Stackhouse told the story "The Raven and How Whaling Came to Be." Saxton led the toddlers and preschoolers in a series of interactive activities based on the children's book "Over in the Arctic (Where the Cold Winds Blow)" by Marianne Collins Berkes.

The quote "children are made readers on the laps of their parents" from author Emilie Buchwald guide the North Slope Imagination Library program this year, which is sponsored by the Friends of Tuzzy Library, the North Slope Borough Mayor's Healthy Communities Initiative, Best Beginnings Alaska, and Ilisagvik College. At the potluck, this theme was celebrated with free family photos of children being read to by their parents, taken by professional photographer Cindy Shults of Top of the World Photography.

"When we lived in California I used to take my daughter to the library every Saturday morning," said Marie Ahkiviana, who attended with her daughter, Alexiah, and son, Jordan. "Here in Barrow we had stopped doing that - but the morning after the Imagination Library family potluck I took my children back to the library and plan to continue."

Dorothy Savok attended with her son, Christopher and grandson, John Michael.

"We were so happy to get 'The Little Engine that Could,' a childhood golden book story that was one of my favorites," Savok said. The Savoks brought fresh caribou stew to share, made from a caribou taken by Christopher that morning.

Though Imagination Library is only being piloted on the slope in Barrow this year, Friends of Tuzzy Library plans to expand to other North Slope Villages next year. Children who are enrolled at birth will have 60 books of their very own by the time they turn five."

The event was made possible by volunteers from the Barrow Lions Club, Mayor's Youth Advisory Council, Friends of Tuzzy, as well as the international Rotary exchange students. The Mayor's Job Program also sent staff to assist.

For interested families in Barrow who have not yet signed up, enrollment forms are available at Tuzzy Consortium Library and at the Wellness Center. For more information on the Imagination Library program in Barrow, contact Sandy Solenberger at 907-852-9323.

Sandy Solenberger is president of the Friends of Tuzzy Library group in Barrow.