JKPL honors SAES on National Bookmobile Day

Students of San Antonio Elementary School and Joeten Kiyu Public Library staff gather for a group photo in celebration of National Bookmobile Day on April 16. (Contributed Photo)

The Joeten Kiyu Public Library celebrated National Bookmobile Day yesterday by going down to San Antonio Elementary School to honor one of their most active partners. SAES has been partnering with JKPL since 2011.

“Of the six Public School System schools we serve, they have been the most consistent, supportive, and enthusiastic about the ‘Children of Our Homeland Bookmobile Service,’” said JKPL’s technical services librarian Rosalyn Ajoste.

According to Ajoste, SAES is the highest-performing school in terms of statistics and number of books read, circulation numbers, and number of children availing of Bookmobile services.

“Circulation stats in 2014 are already almost triple the total amount of books circulated for the entire 2013 alone. SAES numbers are already at 1,200 books circulating and their number continues to climb,” Ajoste said.

JKPL presented SAES with some sports equipment from Project CLAP that will be used to encourage health and fitness. The donations included a 5-gallon water jug, 10 large and 10 small hula hoops, a Hit n’ Run T-ball set, nine pieces of gloves, four baseballs, two bats, three batter helmets, and one catcher helmet, one set of catcher’s gear, one set of bases, and four large and two small basketballs.

“The entire school came out into the courtyard for a short 15-minute ceremony,” Ajoste said.

Ajoste said that JKPL thanks the administration and school librarian, Della Jean Castro-Angel, for continuing to invite the Bookmobile time after time to provide the children of SAES with access to books, e-books, and AV2 books.

“We would also like to recognize four key staff that work closely with the public schools: Xerxes Mangarero, Leoralyn Sablan, Erlinda Naputi, and Celina Foreman,” she added.

In other news, 72 students, parents, and educators attended the Tinian Public Library’s Read-A-Loud and Arts and Crafts Activity from kindergarten to 3rd grade.

Lori Cruz of TPL extends their appreciation to donors who made their opening program a success: the Tinian Mayor Office, Office of Lt. Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider, Tinian Dynasty Hotel and Casino, Bridge Investment Group, 14th Tinian Municipal Council, Sen. Frank Cruz (R-Tinian), Sen. Frank Borja (Ind-Tinian), and TPL staff Ann Marie Crisostomo and Melissa Sanchez.