I Miss the Public Library

Above: The Rainbow Library Main Entrance

The most surprising memories I have of Las Vegas have nothing to do with the nightlife. They are of our Sundays together at the Rainbow Library.  The kids would go off into the Young People's Library to look for Leapfrog products and kids movies. Then they'd get to pick 3 books each from literally thousands of books as simple as board books all the way up to children's chapter books.  Mario and I would go pick up whatever had come in off of our request list.  This was our scheduled time together.

Books and media were far from the only thinkgs available, though.  Louis and I used to go in for arts and crafts lessons.  Every time we learned how to make something new, we would come home with supplies to make more or a book with variances in it.  Then there were things for the younger kids.  Dance time on Tuesday mornings... Story telling on Tuesdays after lunch... Storybook reading on Thursday mornings... Oh and then whole family activities in the ampitheatre were hosted virtually every Friday and Saturday. We would go see family movies on summer nights, sitting on our blankets or laying out on our pillows, sharing soda and pocorn with the families sitting around us.  We attended dances featuring lessons in folk dacncing from around the world, plays concerts, etc.

We have libraries in Anchorage, but they are, well, they're just boring is what they really are.  They are not well stocked with adult or children's literature.  The location that I've visited the most often has only 4 computers to give time out on, no schedule or hold sytem and a very poor printing policy.  There are at least 4 elementary schools, one middle school and one highschool within walking distance of this library.  How are all of the kids with no computer, and/or no internet and/or no printer at home supposed to get schoolwork and projects done at the library as their teachers suggest when random neighbor number 4 won't stop playing solitaire and tween 2 is engossed in Selena/Justin arcticles?

They also lack the interest in young people and art that the ones in Vegas had.  No one would expect such dedication in Las Vegas.  The money is all supposed to be rerouted back to the strip to entice more tourists to come in and spend more.  The vicious circle is never ending and greedy.  While in Anchorage the money never leaves to begin with.  We all support each other.  It is the difference between the anonymous fast paced lifestyle of Vegas and the close knit community feeling in Anchorage.

Yet here the libraries seem forgotten.  It's hard to understand considering the thousands of dollars that are funnelled into the schools and the playgrounds and the children's programs on a monthly basis.  Nicholas Begich Jr. is the benefactor of the Begich Middle School, which my son attends.  This place is beautiful and the programs are incredible. Why aren't they trying to incorporate these into the library system? It is dry, boring and dull.  It should be a place that families come together to participate in programs and children go on sunless days to waste away a few hours. 

Above: "Raven Song," a sculpture of a raven engraved with phrases in languages representing the diversity of students attending Begich Middle School

I have no true interests in the politics of the world, but I don know who has spent money building the newest and most technologically advanced highschool in Anchorage, as well as the newest middle school with the most diverse curriculum in the Pacific West Coast. Hopefully, when the Senator returns to Anchorage we can encourage him to take notice of the libraries.  It seems that in Anchorage, when the Begich family gets together, things get done.