CNMI Library Council chairman Joe T. Limes, in his speech on Saturday, said contributions to the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library help fulfill its goal of improving and promoting effective library services for the people.
“Your contributions also help in expanding our library collections of books and multi-media that open new worlds of learning for the children, youth, parents, teachers and adults,” Limes said.
Library executive director John O. Gonzales said in the previous years, there were only three regular donors and benefactors, but with the combined team effort of the council led by Limes, programs committee chairwoman Paz C. Younis, Herminia Fusco, Lino Olopai and Ana Larson, the number of benefactors and donors has increased to 15.
“We are very happy for the increase in donors because this means our efforts are paying off to attract and ignite the interest of the community in our library,” Gonzales said.
The library, which was established 19 years ago, has already received over $30,000 in educational tax credit funding.
On Saturday, the library received a $5,000 donation from Pacific Islands Club.
Successful celebration
The National Library Week, which kicked off on April 11, concluded successfully with hundreds of residents gathering at the library to join the family fun day on Saturday morning.
The guests were treated to cultural performances by the Marianas High School Chamorro Club as children checked out exhibitor booths and filled out their library passports to claim prizes.
Some of them also won prizes in the mini-carnival games which included balloon darts, shoot for hoops, identify computer parts, trivia and memory match.
A book sale also attracted guests. Magazines were sold for 10 cents each, paperbacks at 25 cents each and hardbound books at 75 cents each.
“We appreciate the community for joining us and we would like to send the message across on how important the library is to the learning process of our students,” Gonzales said.
The books that were sold were donated by the community and all the proceeds from the book sale will be used to buy more books for the library.
Exhibitors for the event included the Ayuda Network Inc., Costal Resource Management, the CNMI Office of the Homeland Security, the Division of Environmental Quality, InetnonAmot Natibu/Safeyal Fallawasch Ammuelil, Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service, the Division of Youth Services, Sexual Assault Awareness Month organizers and the Diabetes Prevention Control Program.
The special guests were the Matua Riders.
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