Literacy Council of Alaska - Lending Libraries

Head Start Lending Libraries

The Literacy Council of Alaska provides free books for Head Start children statewide! The Head Start Lending Libraries are classroom libraries where Head Start children and their families can check books out, take them home, and return them to their classroom when they are through with them.

LCA sends books to participating Head Start classrooms so that children and their families will always have books to bring home so that they can read together. Children who have books in their home and parents who read to them are better prepared for school.

About the Head Start Lending Libraries

The Head Start Lending Libraries program is funded by the Administration for Children and Families Head Start Innovation and Improvement Projects Grant. LCA Executive Director Mike Kolasa, inspired by our Book Recycling Program, came up with the idea to regularly ship books to Head Start locations, throughout Alaska, that do not have access to libraries or bookstores. LCA Board Director Janet Curl discovered a federal grant that could fund such a project and the Head Start Lending Libraries program was born, in the fall of 2008.

The Head Start Lending Libraries program accepts donated books for pre-school age children (3-5 years of age), cleans and sorts them, and then redistributes them to currently 17 Head Start classrooms statewide.

LCA has partnered with Head Starts operated by Tanana Chiefs Conference, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, CCS Early Learning and RurAL CAP. Communities currently served include: Chugiak, Ft. Yukon, Holy Cross, Huslia, Kaltag, Kluti-Kaah, McGrath, Meadow Lakes, Nenana, Nulato, Palmer, St. Paul, Sand Point, Tanana, Tetlin. Unalaska and Wasilla.

Donations

Book donations are always accepted! Please donate books that are age appropriate for our Head Start Lending Libraries (from 3-5 years of age) and in good quality, without torn or missing pages. Books are accepted everyday at the Literacy Council by people who have books they no longer use. Books are also donated by other bookstores such as Gulliver's Books in Fairbanks, who has donated thousands of books! Our annual March book drive also brings in great books. All donations are tax deductible and donors will receive a coupon for a free regularly priced book at Forget-Me-Not Books, also located at the Literacy Council.

Preparing the Books

Donated books are sorted and cleaned before they are ready for redistribution. The cleaning process includes cleaning the cover and repairing if needed, taking off stickers, and checking the book for stains.

Sending the Books

Once the books are clean, they are then packed and taken to the post office or to one of our participating airline partners, Frontier Flying Service and Wright Air, who regularly donate their time and space to get books to those in need across Alaska.

Volunteers

Volunteers are currently needed for cleaning books before they are sent out to their Head Start locations. In addition, please visit our Volunteer: General page to learn about more volunteer opportunities at LCA.

Head Start Lending Libraries Staff