Over 15K books from Library of Congress shipped to NMI

 Over 15,000 books and reading materials have so far been shipped to the Commonwealth in just three years, the bulk of which went to public school libraries on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian, according to CNMI Delegate Gregorio Sablan.

“We have sent something like 15,000 books back home to the Northern Mariana Islands to fill shelves in our libraries and, I hope, to fill minds-young, old and in-between-with knowledge and new ideas,” Sablan said in his remarks Wednesday for the proclamation signing to endorse April as School Library Month in the CNMI.

The signing was held at the Marianas High School gymnasium and was attended by librarians, education officials, and students from private and public schools.

After his remarks, Sablan turned over to education officials a little over 200 boxes of books-all from the U.S. Library of Congress, the world’s largest library and receives multiple copies of most books published in the U.S. each year. He said the overflow is available to members of Congress to send home for school and public libraries.

Sablan said they put a little bookplate on each book with a quotation from Charles W. Eliot, who was the longest-serving president of Harvard University and helped transform it into the premier institution of learning that it is today.

Although much of the donated materials are available online these days, Sablan still believes in the value of a book.

“Books require no electricity. They can manage a little rough use. They are light and portable and easily shared with friends. And the wise counsel and patient teaching that books contain remain as important to the educated person today as Eliot believed a hundred years ago. Being well-read, he knew, was part of the fabric of education. And education, he understood, was critically important not only to the individual, but to society as a whole. Because education gives us not only facts and information, but also instills in us the habit of learning and the ability to take what we know and put it to work to better the world we live in,” he said, adding that to build a better world begins with a book.

‘You belong @ your library’

Board of Education chair Marylou S. Ada signed the proclamation with the theme “You Belong @ Your Library.” In the proclamation, the board emphasized that the school librarian’s role is to provide the leadership and expertise necessary to ensure that the library program is an integral part of the instructional program of schools. It states that the library program contributes to the individual growth and development of all students while fostering both excellence and equity in education.

Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan expressed elation over the latest donation from the Library of Congress, which consists not only of reading books for students but self-help books for parents, teachers, medical staff, and others as reference materials.

Sablan also spearheaded the signature drive for a “Thank You” note intended for Joseph Mahar, the coordinator of the Library of Congress Surplus Books Program that allows the CNMI to access the materials.

After the proclamation, students and teachers were seen busy going over the books for their libraries.

Activities

Lynne Michael, librarian professional learning community chairperson, said that many activities have been lined up for this month’s celebration.

Among these is the upcoming annual Parade of Books competition for public and private schools, the launching of the digital read-aloud project by William S. Reyes Elementary School, and the distribution of dictionaries donated by the Rotary Club of Saipan to third graders in all elementary schools.

Other special events are the Saturday reading program, the launching of a TV commercial on literacy by Saipan Southern High School, Read-A-Thon, Drop Everything and Read program, Reading Mania, book marking, poster competition, and many others.