Ak-Chin Indian Community Library helps bring families together

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The Ak-Chin Indian Community Library is much more than a place to read books — it also provides a place for individuals and families to gather and learn.

Library events are created to help increase literacy and to encourage Ak-Chin Indian Community members to engage in different activities, including the Listening Lounge where visitors can listen to a selection of audio books or the popular Dark Readings program, where every Tuesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m., a scary movie is shown with real-life characters that surprise guests and give them a 4D experience.

In the Library Movie Club, kids work together to create movies and later showcase them in a film festival that takes place at the UltraStar Multi-tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle.  Jeff Stoffer, librarian, highly recommends these two videos: “The Picnic” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR01w8iwQSc and “Hurt Kid” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IZwvC8XmYg

Library staff members also visit the Ak-Chin Indian Community Elder Center every other Tuesday from 9 to 10 a.m. to provide an adult coloring program. Coloring provides a creative outlet and is believed to have positive mental and emotional benefits.

Buddy, a corgi and therapy dog, lives in the library during business hours and makes visits to some events in the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Kids like to read to Buddy as he is a very good listening companion. As recommended by their teacher, kids identified as falling behind in reading can have special reading time with Buddy. A dog house, which replicates the house of the character Snoopy from Charlie Brown, was built by the children for Buddy. While Buddy is in his house, kids can send snacks to Buddy through a built in snack shoot.

Meet Buddy, a corgi and therapy dog.

Other popular library activities include fun tech events like App Tester and Game Hacker, educational fun with Mad Science Monday, Lego Learn Time, Board Gameapalooza and Yadi’s Kitchen, a beginners cooking class.

A reading program, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, helps young Ak-Chin Indian Community members start reading early in life. This national program encourages parents to begin reading to kids early, to keep track of total books read until they reach 1,000. A chart on a library wall shows kids’ progress and encourages friendly competition.

Library event schedules are printed in the Ak-Chin Indian Community calendar, can be found on the Ak-Chin Indian Community Facebook page and is listed in the bi-monthly newspaper,  Ak-Chin O’odham Runner once a month. The library provides a perfect place for the Ak-Chin Indian Community to learn more and try various activities.

The Picnic

Hurt Kid

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Last Updated on 04/11/2019 by Carolyn Sostrom

About the Author:

Carolyn Sostrom

Biography:

Carolyn Sostrom is a long-time Arizona resident who loves desert sunsets, warm weather, Zumba, and the Western lifestyle.

She attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale and then Arizona State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Similarly to the protagonist in *The Devil Wears Prada*, Carolyn moved to New York City right after college. She started working for the fashion magazine company Conde Nast but never transitioned to the dark side. After a few years, she left New York in the rearview mirror and returned to her home state, taking a reporter job at the *Apache Junction Independent*.

With over 30 years of freelance writing experience, Carolyn especially enjoys writing about community events and profiling individuals who are making a difference in their communities. She had the pleasure of interviewing a variety of cowboy personalities for an article she wrote for the *Scottsdale Independent* about the history of DC Ranch and its roots as a working ranch. Now, her Western adventures with CLN have her diving into the rugged automotive scene, exploring the trucks and rigs cowboys rely on for work, home, and play, a niche where grit meets horsepower.

She works at Raising Special Kids, a nonprofit resource center for families of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs. Carolyn also volunteers with the Autism Society of Greater Phoenix.

Carolyn believes that everyone has a story, and she loves connecting with others to hear their stories. She’s dedicated to ethical journalism and accurate reporting, which shines through in her storytelling.

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