Library offers books featuring images by local photographers, written by regional authors
Although the Kegoayah Kozga Public Library is currently closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been providing many library services in a safe and healthy manner. The library offers online library access to eBook and audio library materials through the Alaska Digital Library and an online summer reading program called Beanstack.
The Beanstack program is gaining popularity with our young readers with over 4,000 reading minutes logged by Nome youth readers through the end of June. The library understands that there is a true digital divide in rural Alaska. In an effort to make sure that all Nome youth can participate in our reading program, all families and especially those without internet capability can contact the library regarding our traditional summer reading program and receive paper reading logs to keep track of their reading during the summer.
Last week, the library expanded their summer reading program beyond their online program to include “no contact” curbside youth craft kits for pick-up. There are two types of craft kits. One is recommended for ages 3 to 7 and the second is recommended for ages 8 to 13. We really miss our youth patrons and our summer story hour patrons and are hoping that these kits will be a way for families to create a fun reading experience at home, at camp or outdoors during the summer. The kits must be reserved in advance. Families can call or e-mail the library on Monday or Tuesday to reserve craft kits and make an appointment to pick-up their reserved craft kit at the curb of the Richard Foster Building parking lot. Last week, the library had requests for over 50 youth craft kits. We were expecting to have requests for about 15 craft kits, so the first week was a great success. We were so happy that many families sent us photos of their kids creating their crafts and the finished craft projects, sharing these great family moments with us.
This week there is a special treat in the craft kits for the younger summer reading program participants. Each youth will receive a board book from the Seasons of Alaska board book series, created under a Best Beginnings Literacy Project.
According to Best Beginnings Early Literacy coordinator, Stephanie Schott, “This project was inspired and supported by a federal Preschool Development grant to support early childhood education from birth through age five. Best Beginnings tackled the work of creating books that reflect life in Alaska, especially for rural and Alaska Native children.”
In the series of four books, each book showcases a different season and young Alaska kids participating in different activities or observing their family members in different activities that range from watching an Auntie work with her ulu to a very young child sharing their skin ball with their Ap’a and another young child wearing a fancy fur coat made by their Aana.
Four local and regional artists participated in the project. Nome photographers Esther Pederson and Taylor Booth contributed fabulous and emotionally moving photos to the books depicting life in rural Alaska.
In the Bye-Bye Ice! Springtime in Alaska book, Taylor Booth submitted a gorgeous photo of her daughter Rielyn on a family trip harvesting eggs. When asked how she chose the photos to contribute to the Alaska literacy project, Taylor Booth said “I chose these pictures because they are part of our regions traditions.”
In the Let’s Play Out! Summer in Alaska book, Esther Pederson ‘s contributed a beautiful photo of her family subsistence fishing and a second photo of a Fourth of July children’s Nome bike race on Front Street can be found with many familiar Nome faces. It was written by Yaari ToolieWalker, who hails from Savoonga, St. Lawrence Island.
The Button Up! Fall in Alaska book portrays our rural Alaska traditional fall activities of berry picking and hunting.
The author of the Mittens and Mukluks! Winter in Alaska book is former Nome Public Schools teacher Joni Spiess. The winter book includes activities such as drilling a hole in the ice for fishing and showcasing an array of traditional foods.
Library Assistant Janet Bloodgood Steppe said “When I first heard these board books existed, I immediately bought them for my family. It’s not often that you see Rural Alaska and native culture represented so beautifully by people who live in Rural Alaska. Being able to share this with my son and saying “This is us. This is who we are and what we come from” means so much, that I cannot adequately describe it in words. But I will say representation absolutely matters. Because when a child sees someone like them in a book, it is a validating and inclusive feeling of pretty much saying “You Matter and I see you.”
The Kegoayah Kozga Public Library purchased these books in cooperation with Nome Eskimo Community and the project was made possible in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Nome Eskimo Community stated “It is Nome Eskimo Community’s pleasure to support the Kegoayah Kozga Public Library with their summer reading program as we have a vested interest in the early learning of our youth. The board books are excellent and offer a level of personalization to our community and other places in Alaska. It’s great to see local folks and cultural traditions highlighted in such a fun educational tool.”