Contributed by Alys Culhane
“These books are free? The parent asked. “Yes, take as many as you want,” I said to the incredulous child. We were standing in the Vagabond Blues hallway, next to the fiction project bookcase.
The little girl happily rummaged through the books, as I explained to her mother how the Bright Lights Book Project works.
“How come you don’t charge for the books?” she asked.
“Because the goal is to get them into the hands of readers,” I replied.
“How does the project work?”
I who am obsessed with the ins and outs of the book project, began talking nearly non-stop. I explained to the woman that a staff of eight volunteers currently salvage, sort, categorize, clean, and distribute books locally and state-wide. I added that the majority of books are dropped off at VCRS, the Valley Recycling Center, during the week. The books are donated by area thrift stores, private individuals. The VCRS staff makes sure that the incoming books are stored in a safe and accessible area. Sorting generally takes place on Saturdays. The sorting area is adjacent to the VCRS Bookstore, where books can also be purchased.
I continued: the books are taken to the Church of the Covenant Meeting House on Saturdays, and here they are further prepared for distribution. The main distribution site is the Koslosky Building. Fiction, nonfiction, and children’s bookcases are located in the downstairs hallway bookcases, and Health and Teaching Resource books are located in the upstairs bookcases. Other Palmer-based distribution sites include Turkey Red Restaurant, The Valley Hotel, and the Sunset Grill. Sutton distribution sites include The Chickaloon Native Health Center and the Sutton Post Office.
I, who now had the woman’s undivided attention, provided her with particulars about the Palmer Senior Center distribution efforts. Some time ago, I approached a volunteer who encouraged me to bring books to the dining area at lunch time. The seniors were so receptive to my initial efforts that I purchased a library cart with funds provided by the Mat-Su Health Foundation. The cart functions as a little library – the shelves are labelled Fiction, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Children’s Literature and General Nonfiction. The accessible books are now a lunchtime mainstay.
I next told her about the summer activities, one in which I assisted the Sutton librarians and staff in organizing two events. The focus on the first day was on the teenagers. The theme was libraries, big and small. I was of course given a hand in this endeavor by Bright Lights Project volunteers. I first brought in my pack horse, Hrimfara (the English translation of her Icelandic name is Frosty Traveler), who carried a pack load of books to the kid’s area. Our Australian Shepherd, Shadow, rode in on her back. Dilly Dally the clown (Sheila Aay) passed out books and Lois Liebing read the book, The Bibliographic Burro to the now attentive teens. After, Nan Potts assisted the teenagers in painting cast off Frontiersmen newspaper boxes, which they were told would function as little libraries.
The second day’s audience consisted of little kids. Pat Praetorius, who was visiting from Ojai, California, read to them. They made bookmarks, books, and finished painting the Frontiersman boxes. That evening, Bill Schmidtkunz, Nan Potts, and I did a Bright Lights Book Project reading. This was in conjunction with a silent auction, one in which we raised $750.00, to be divided between the Bright Lights Book Project and the Sutton Library.
“And what are your future plans?” the woman asked. I replied that the Bright Lights Book Project will be well represented at the Alaska State Fair. Newspaper boxes will be located in the Eckert Garden and at the VCRS recycling center booth. Of course, the gardening and children’s books will be free to ASF patrons.
I paused before adding that the project’s success has to a large part been due to the support of local businesses, some of which include VCRS, Fireside Books, The Bishop’s Attic Thrift Store, and the Mat-Su College Library.
“Are you looking for volunteers? She asked.
“Always,” I said, adding that we are currently looking for input as to where we might set up additional sites, and as well, people to distribute books to more far-flung areas, both in the Mat-Su Valley and elsewhere.
I then gave her a Bright Lights bookmark that had my email address on the back: alysculhane@hotmail.com. The mother thanked me, and the child, an armload of books in hand, skipped in the direction of the café.
