Alexis Easterly sits with Santa during his visits to Irene Ingle Public Library this year on Dec. 9. Due to increased participation, instead of holding a single story-telling session the library split the event into two sittings.
More children than ever before were able to enjoy this year's annual Christmas celebration at the Irene Ingle Public Library.
"It's something we've done for years," explained head librarian Kay Jabusch.
For 20 years, Wrangell's library has hosted its pajama story time every first week of December, with treats to enjoy and a visit from Santa Claus. Due to rising participation, library staff decided to approach the tradition in a new way this time around.
"We broke it up this year," Jabusch said, splitting the evening between the evenings of Dec. 8 and 9. Between both nights, 160 children and more than 50 parents filtered in, up from 135 children in 2013.
To make it more manageable, Santa focused more on meeting and greeting than reading. The group had gotten large enough so kids toward the back were having a hard time hearing the story. So gift boxes were distributed instead, each featuring a packet of cocoa, homemade marshmallows, candy cane and fresh cookies.
"It was just kind of a nice family evening," said Jabusch. People showed up over a period of a couple hours, taking a number with time to mingle. The librarian said the new format worked out well for parents, kids and staff alike.
"Santa deserves a lot of credit," she added. "He gets a workout this season."
Besides those two library visits, he came by again on Thursday for their last storytime of the year. The program is due to resume in February.
How the library holds its holiday event next year will be up to the new head librarian. After 34 years, Jabusch will be retiring at the start of the new year, with current assistant librarian Margaret Villarma taking her place.
"We're trying to make that transition to the first of the year very smooth," Jabusch said, working with Villarma and also future assistant librarian Valerie Ni hEideain to get them ready.
Villarma and Ni hEideain are already working on an annual grant application, which if approved will subsidize 80 percent of the library's Internet costs. The grant comes through the E-Rate Program administered by Universal Service Administrative Company, which is specifically geared toward assisting schools and libraries.
Jabusch said the library is also installing three new public-use computers, provided through an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant that the Wrangell Cooperative Association helped secure. The grant also pays for the library's e-book service, which makes that technology available to area patrons.
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