{"id":14360,"date":"2016-11-07T14:55:06","date_gmt":"2016-11-07T19:55:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=14360"},"modified":"2016-11-07T14:59:02","modified_gmt":"2016-11-07T19:59:02","slug":"alsc-goes-alaska-alsctour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2016\/11\/alsc-goes-alaska-alsctour\/","title":{"rendered":"ALSC Goes to Alaska #alsctour"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One of the biggest perks as an ALSC staff member is visiting our amazing members to learn more about their specific programs and services and to see their library spaces. <!--more-->These opportunities arise as part of work travel to various ALA and division conferences, the annual May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture, and even while on vacation. However these trips are usually to destinations located very much on the beaten path. We were thrilled when the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ala.org\/alsc\/curiositycreates\">Disney Curiosity Creates grant<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ala.org\/alsc\/curiositycreates\"> project<\/a> enabled several ALSC ambassadors to conduct site visits to two Curiosity Creates mini-grants recipients in Alaska (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cityofhomer-ak.gov\/library\">Homer Public Library<\/a> and the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kenailibrary.org\/index.php?page=about-us\">Kenai Community Library<\/a>) this past September 17-21, 2016. Additionally, we were able to schedule three additional to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.soldotna.org\/departments\/library\">Soldotna Public Library<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.muni.org\/Departments\/library\/Pages\/default.aspx\">Anchorage Public Library<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cityofseward.us\/libmus\">the Seward Community Library and Museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The ALSC group consisted of Program Officer for Projects and Partnerships Angela Hubbard, Curiosity Creates Project Consultant and now ALSC Fiscal Officer Paula Holmes, photographer and videographer Thomas Holmes, and me. Trip highlights are detailed below.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>By land, sea, and air, we made our way through \u201cThe Last Frontier.\u201d Actually, I drove a minivan from Anchorage to the southern end of the Kenai Peninsula where Homer lies. Angela, Paula, and Thomas took a puddle jumper (small plane) down from Anchorage. The Chugach National Forest was glowing yellow sunshine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14367\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_5259.jpg\" alt=\"Chugach National Forest\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_5259.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_5259-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_5259-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_5259-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/IMG_5259-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Arrived just in time to make the 10<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary celebration of Homer Public Library\u2019s renovation. The community expressed its love for the library as evidenced by a basket full of slips from patrons sharing their thoughts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14365\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Homer-library.jpg\" alt=\"Homer Library\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Homer-library.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Homer-library-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Homer-library-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Homer-library-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Homer-library-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ALSC member Claudia Haines and her daughter Olivia provided an overview of the library\u2019s Alaskana collection.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0The Joy Griffin Children\u2019s Library is a delightful room complete with toadstools, trees, and the most captivating art installation: 26 cast relief paper panel letters that line the ceiling around the room. The artwork was created by Lynn Marie Naden in collaboration with student at the Fireweed Academy as part of the 1-percent for art collection. In 2008, The Friends of Homer Public Library published \u201cABC\u2019s of Kachemak Bay\u201d written by Ann Keffer and photographed by Scott Dickerson. Paula and I had a serendipitous encounter with Lynn Marie Naden while visiting the Pratt Museum and learned firsthand the process for making the panels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ABC-of-Kachemak-Bay.jpg\" alt=\"ABC of Kachemak Bay\" width=\"600\" height=\"367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ABC-of-Kachemak-Bay.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ABC-of-Kachemak-Bay-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ABC-of-Kachemak-Bay-147x90.jpg 147w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>HPL\u2019s The Maker Club was a Curiosity Creates mini-grant program. The afterschool program brings kids and teens together with community mentors to make, create, and build open-ended projects. A tutoring program developed from its success. Claudia and Olivia demonstrated their Meal in a Mug program which was incorporated into the program as a way to help address food insecurity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14366\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/HomerLibraryClaudiaandOlivia.jpg\" alt=\"Homer Library w\/ Claudia and Olivia\" width=\"600\" height=\"365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/HomerLibraryClaudiaandOlivia.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/HomerLibraryClaudiaandOlivia-300x183.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/HomerLibraryClaudiaandOlivia-148x90.jpg 148w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It was eye-opening to learn of the creative ways in which librarians are helping to support children and families. Access and broadband are major challenges. There are over 200 villages in Alaska that are only reachable by boat or plane. We heard about a dad that checks out two of the same books, so that he can share a story with his child, via satellite phone, while out on a commercial fishing boat.<\/li>\n<li>The next morning, we drove up the peninsula to Soldotna where Library Director Rachel Nash provided a tour of her library, renovated in 2014. The library received a large Lego donation, enough to fill a mini-van, from a patron giving up her collection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14370\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Soldotna.jpg\" alt=\"Soldotna\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Soldotna.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Soldotna-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Soldotna-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Soldotna-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Soldotna-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>We then drove on to Kenai, located on the western shore of the peninsula, to visit our second Curiosity Creates mini-grant site. Library Director Mary Jo Joiner and Ryanna Thurman, Library Assistant for Information Technology at the Kenai Community Library shared their project outcomes and the wow moments of their \u201cAll Dolled Up\u201d program. The program featured sewing, crafting, and free play. The library created circulating doll kits, which included a journal for young patrons to document their and the doll\u2019s ongoing adventures. One patron wrote of her experience during the 7.1 earthquake that occurred this past January. The library is continuing their creativity programming beyond the grant with doll furniture classes (woodworking) and quilting classes to create the bedding for the beds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14368\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-1.jpg\" alt=\"Kenai Library\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-1-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-1-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mary Jo and Ryanna took us on a grand tour of their library which was renovated in 2012. The children\u2019s room features and alphabet wall which was a fundraising project. Each letter has a child\u2019s name engraved on it. \u00a0Recently hired Children\u2019s Librarian James Adcox has wasted no time in thinking \u201coutside of the box.\u201d His artwork appears throughout the library.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14374\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-2-1.jpg\" alt=\"Kenai Library Two\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-2-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-2-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-2-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-2-1-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Kenai-2-1-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>On the way back to Anchorage, we took an impromptu road side stop at a mountain lake to take drone footage. Despite the rural areas we were driving through, we were impeded by the many, many flight paths due to all the puddle jumpers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14363\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Drone.jpg\" alt=\"Drone Flight\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Drone.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Drone-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Drone-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Drone-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Drone-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>On Monday morning, we met with ALSC member Elizabeth Nicolai and her staff at the Anchorage Public Library, Z.J. Loussac Library.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14373\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Anchorage-1.jpg\" alt=\"Anchorage Public Library\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Anchorage-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Anchorage-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Anchorage-1-488x650.jpg 488w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Anchorage-1-375x500.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Anchorage-1-68x90.jpg 68w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Anchorage is Alaska\u2019s largest city and becoming more diverse with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.alaskajournal.com\/business-and-finance\/2015-06-17\/anchorage-marks-hundred-years-hundred-languages#.WCDKoXpR6nc\">100 languages are spoken in the Anchorage school district<\/a>. There are 20 Alaska Native languages. The APL is home to the Ready to Read Resource Center, a statewide project funded by the Alaska State Library and IMLS. Alaskan residents, from anywhere in the state, may borrow a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.readytoreadak.org\/about.html\">Ready to Read Kit<\/a> at no charge. The library also has a colorful and attractive early learning area that promotes the five ECRR practices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14362\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/anchorage-2.jpg\" alt=\"Anchorage Public Library Resources\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/anchorage-2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/anchorage-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/anchorage-2-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/anchorage-2-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/anchorage-2-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A storm front came through the last day and half of the trip and hurricane strength winds precluded a visit to the Seward Community Library and Museum, which is a true community center. We spent our afternoon at the Anchorage Museum in the Imaginarium Discovery Center for some hands-on fun.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14371\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Wind.jpg\" alt=\"Alaskan Wind\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Wind.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Wind-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Wind-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Wind-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Wind-90x90.jpg 90w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Our goal was to learn about their programs and services and inquire about their needs with an eye to future ALSC resources. We can definitely say that this amazing trip resulted in concrete ways that the Association can connect more meaningfully with members and libraries that we don\u2019t normally have the opportunity to see very often.<\/p>\n<p><em>Aimee Strittmatter is the Executive Director of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the biggest perks as an ALSC staff member is visiting our amazing members to learn more about their specific programs and services and to see their library spaces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":14375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[134,38],"tags":[1105,1106,794],"class_list":["post-14360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guest-blogger","category-programming-ideas","tag-alaska","tag-alsc-tour","tag-curiosity-creates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14360","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14360"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14360\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14360"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14360"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14360"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}