Wasilla Public Library marks 75th birthday

WASILLA — Since it began as a lofty ideal in 1938 with a “collection” of 91 books, the Wasilla Public Library has grown into the Valley’s busiest library.

Now 75 years later, Friends of Wasilla Public Library and the city are planning on writing a little local history of their own, by celebrating more than seven decades of library service to Wasilla and the Valley.

As the library has evolved, it’s maintained a place of importance in the community, said KJ Martin-Albright, head librarian at what’s now known as the Wasilla Meta-Rose Public Library.

“It’s been a large part of the community that whole time, too,” she said. “It’s pretty exciting.”

Sharing that excitement with all is the goal of a special Sunday kick-off celebration to mark a week of celebrating the library’s diamond jubilee. Friends of Wasilla Public Library will host the kick-off from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center with music from Josh Fryfogle and The Carhartt Brothers Band, along with free ice skating and games.

That Wasilla has maintained a public library for such a long time is a noteworthy accomplishment, said Linda Wynne, records manager for Sealaska Corp. and president of the Alaska Library Association.

“I had no idea that the public library was that old, that it goes back to when Alaska was a territory,” she said, adding she wishes she could attend the celebration. “Oh my gosh, please send the Alaska Library Association and invitation, and congratulations. This is a milestone for public libraries, absolutely.”

That 2013 is the library’s diamond anniversary is appropriate, Martin-Albright said, because it’s also a pivotal year for a decades-long push to build a new library facility. The new library, which will be located on a four-acre parcel of land at the corner of Crusey and Swanson streets in downtown donated by the Mat-Su Borough, is expected to be 23,500 square feet and accommodate the nearly 100,000 visitors the Wasilla library sees annually.

The current facility acquired in 1985 has 8,200 square feet and the property has room for only 14 parking spaces, Martin-Albright said. That tight parking is something library staff fields complaints about daily, she said.

“Oh, those 14 parking spaces, I would say that’s probably our most often heard patron complaint,” she said. “That lack of parking.”

And while the library keeps up with the times and technology the best it can with e-readers and audiobooks, lack of space limits it to seven public computers, Martin-Albright said. That means most times there’s a waiting list to use the computers and that a policy of only one hour of computer time per person per day has to be followed.

“At the new library, we’re hoping to have 43 (computers) in the new building,” she said. “And that will be a good amount for our community. Sometimes (now) there is quite a wait list, and sometimes people just don’t sign up because they don’t want to wait.”

Another welcome addition will be a new teen area in the library, Martin-Albright said. With the new facility expected to be located just behind Wasilla Middle School and a block south of Wasilla High School, she hopes students will find the library accessible and helpful.

“The one constant is that nothing ever stays the same,” she said. “There’s always changes going on. It was the community that started the library, a women’s club founded it. Then the 1950s building was mostly built with donated materials and volunteer labor. I think it’s cool that the history of the library is that it’s not only served the community, it was build by the community.”

That she can even discuss a new state-of-the-art library is in no small part the work of Friends of Wasilla Public Library, Martin-Albright said.

“Oh gosh, they’re amazing,” she said. “They fund our summer reading program every year. When we have ideas for programs, they’re always so supportive and willing to help out.”

Along with Sunday’s kick-off celebration, the Wasilla Public Library Diamond Jubilee includes a silent auction of baskets and a treasure hunt, which runs through Jan. 20; a Library Visionary Luncheon Jan. 23 from noon to 1 p.m.; and an open house from 4 to 6 p.m., Jan. 23.

Despite the growing influence of the Internet and instant communication, Wynne said it would be a mistake to think libraries are becoming obsolete.

“We still need libraries,” she said. “Sometimes, the school library and the community library can be a collaborative effort to share resources, and it provides iPads and e-books, and libraries are evolving with technology. People go there to work on their résumés and look for employment. There’s just so much.”

Contact reporter Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

What: Wasilla Public Library Diamond Jubilee Kick-Off Celebration.

When: 6 to 8 p.m., Jan. 20.

Where: Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, Wasilla

What: Library Visionary Luncheon, a free luncheon honoring those who have paved the way and continue to carry the torch for the library.

When: noon to 1 p.m., Jan. 23.

Where: Wasilla City Hall council chambers

What: Wasilla Public Library Open House. Join supporters for cake to celebrate the library’s 75th birthday. Then, head over to the museum to see a display on the library’s history.

When: 4 to 6 p.m., Jan. 23.

Where: Wasilla Public Library and Dorothy G. Page Museum

Admission: Free.