Among my many great memories of growing up in Anchorage are visits to the old ZJ Loussac library downtown, where Sixth Avenue Outfitters is today. Earlier today I joined Mayor Begich and Library Director Karen Keller in releasing an ISER study detailing the economic benefits provided by our public library system, which is as good an opportunity as any to talk about a fantastic community initiative.
The Anchorage Library Foundation is leading a Library Renewal Initiative, which aims “to revitalize our libraries by enhancing their services, operations and facilities.” One of the most exciting aspects of this effort is a new library branch in Mountain View, long awaited by the neighborhood. Quite a few people have contributed a great deal of effort to this project, including a generous contribution from the Gottstein family for a children’s section, and an Americorps volunteer canvassing the neighborhood seeking their input on what folks would like to see in their library.
If your family is like mine and enjoys our library system I recommend learning more about the efforts of the Library Foundation and find a way to get involved!
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Copyright - Patrick Flynn, All Rights Reserved
I used to go to the old Sand Lake Branch Library in the early to mid ’70s when I was in junior high. It was within easy walking distance of my house, and a nice quiet atmosphere with research materials at hand. And I used it to write book reports and papers for school assignments. And then when I was done I’d do some recreational reading, maybe check out a couple books and take them home. When mayor Tom Fink closed this branch and three others including Mt. View in 1989, I couldn’t believe it. It seemed akin to rounding up the poets and executing them in the town square. Later people were actually suggesting maybe we don’t need so many libraries anymore since we have the internet. Ha! I don’t think so. It’s great that Mt. View is getting a library again. Can’t wait to see it under construction! It’s too bad it took almost 20 years to correct Fink’s crackdown on enlightenment — but better late than never. As an aside — the most intelligent suggestion I heard about the various Project ’80s buildings was, why didn’t they swap sites for the Performing Arts Center and the library? Seems strange that the main branch of the library is not downtown, near the bus hub, and a library lends itself well to a multistory building. Whereas it was really tough to pack all those theaters in a 300×300 ft half block, and access and parking is still a problem, amidst four one way streets going in the wrong direction. At 36th and Denali the PAC could have spread out and been a much better complex, with all the parking you could ever want. Ah, hindsight!
Comment: clark – 10. September 2008 @ 10:41 am
“When mayor Tom Fink closed this branch and three others including Mt. View in 1989, I couldn’t believe it. It seemed akin to rounding up the poets and executing them in the town square.”
Yes clark. I couldn’t agree more. Closing a few library branches is just like rounding up harmless, gentle poets and popping caps in their heads.
– Alaska Jack
Comment: Alaska Jack – 12. September 2008 @ 2:07 pm
I, too, recall the old Loussac fondly. I can still mentally conjour the smell of all the old books……..
Comment: Kevin Lindsay – 01. November 2008 @ 7:49 am