Another day at Old Harbor School. Summer had, in her three-day itinerary, listed the events that were to take place today. Her list included making bookmarks, making masks, dying tee shirts, and making books. It was Friday, a few days before the holidays, and the children were so excited they could barely contain themselves.

My workday began with my sorting children’s nonfiction library books, and this way I stayed out of the fray. There were several individuals from KANA – Kodiak Area Native Association, who were on hand so as to give an assist with the above activities.

Children are children – individuals with brains that aren’t yet fully developed – and as such, they tend to do as they please. Adults are individuals with brains that are supposedly fully developed, and as such, they tend to get children to do as they themselves please. It does make one wonder if children, who are very manipulative, are smarter than adults give them credit for.

I talked with several of the KANA people. Of course, I asked them how their flights from Kodiak to Old Harbor had gone and was relieved to hear, several times, the word “smooth.”

I was introduced to a woman, long legged, thirtyish (the KANA workers all fit into this category), and was told that her name was Rachel. She told me that she was on the board of the Friends of the Kodiak Public Library.

I figured that she thought she hit the motherlode when I told her about the Bright Lights Book Project. I sometimes am like a faucet, and when the tap is turned on, the words gush forth, surprising even me. This time was no exception. I suggested that the Friends of the Kodiak Public Library get newspaper boxes and send them to villages. The children could then paint them. This way, books would be available in the summertime. She seemed interested, but I suspect that this is an idea that I’m going to need to follow up on.

Rachel offered to show us the Kodiak Library and the discarded book area, and also the little libraries. Having books available in the summer, for children, this I said was what Lisa Murkowski suggested that we do. I thought, as I mentioned Lisa’s name, that I have become a shameless name dropper. I further rationalized this by telling myself that this is for a good cause.

Rachel said that the Kodiak Library has a lot of discarded books, and I proposed that the Friends of the Kodiak Public Library send them to us. She liked this idea and surmised that in the spring, after their May sale, that this might be a possibility.

I suggested increments of twenty boxes. We’ll see what their other board members have to say about this.

I also talked with another KANA person, an older woman named Joanie, about the project. She then told me that she lived in South Africa – she said she and her husband decided to move here during a vacation when their house was burglarized. She said they took everything, and then she described everything. I didn’t ask her if they took her books.

All in all, a very good day.

Next: 319. 11/24/24: Don’t Look Back