The Anchorage School Anchorage School District’s book donation gives thousands of books a second life by distributing them to schools and libraries statewide. Instead of being stored in warehouses or discarded, these books will reach needy communities through the Bright Light Book Project.
On Monday, five pallets of donated books arrived at the Bright Light Book Project’s storage unit. Alys Culhane, the organization founder, explained that this is the second large book donation from the school district in three years.
The latest batch includes textbooks, language literacy materials, and German fiction books. “Here I got a call a couple of days ago from Bart Kendall, who’s the warehouse manager [for the Anchorage School District], and he said that they had five pallets of books for us, and we said ‘sure, we’ll take them,’ stated Culhane.
Volunteers swiftly unloaded and organized the books, ensuring they would soon reach their next destination. Each donated book undergoes a detailed process before redistribution. Volunteers inspect them for quality, clean them thoroughly, and sort them by category.
High-demand books, such as those on Arctic animals, will be placed on shelves for easy access. The rest will be packed and sent to various locations across the state. This latest shipment marks just the beginning, as additional books are expected to arrive from the Fairbanks Alaska Language Center.
The Bright Lights Book Project has expanded its storage capacity to accommodate the influx, ensuring every donation finds a home in schools, libraries, or literacy programs. Culhane admitted she sometimes worries about meeting demand but remains optimistic as donations continue to flow in.
With the Iditarod currently underway, Nome is seeing heightened activity, making it an essential location for book distribution. Culhane plans to personally deliver some of the latest Anchorage School District’s book donation shipments there, ensuring children in rural communities benefit from the initiative.
This news was originally published by Alaska’s News Source.
