Joeten-Kiyu Public Library Awarded $200,000 to Strengthen Family Literacy and Preserve Indigenous Storytelling

The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, the State Library of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is proud to announce that it has been awarded $200,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the FY2026 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program for its initiative, "Families Reading Together: Planning a Sustainable Family Literacy Indigenous Storytelling Initiative."

The award represents an important investment in the families, children, languages, stories, and cultural traditions of the Northern Mariana Islands. Through this planning initiative, the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library will explore new and meaningful ways to bring families together through reading while honoring and preserving the rich Indigenous storytelling traditions of the Marianas.

"We are delighted to confirm that your organization has been selected to receive a FY2026 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program award," stated Teresa Devoe, Associate Deputy Director of Grants to States at IMLS. "This year, we received 105 eligible applications requesting $27,493,862. Of these, we selected 40 projects to receive funding totaling $9,600,000."

Bringing Families, Reading, and Culture Together

The project will focus on understanding the literacy needs of families throughout the CNMI and developing a sustainable model for family-centered reading programs. The library will conduct community literacy needs assessments, strengthen partnerships with local organizations, adapt curricula, and design pilot programs for after-school family reading clubs.

A special emphasis will be placed on incorporating Chamorro and Carolinian languages and Indigenous storytelling traditions into family literacy activities. The initiative will also explore opportunities to develop locally produced children's books that reflect the people, places, history, culture, and experiences of island families.

By bringing parents and children together around books and stories, the library hopes to create opportunities not only to strengthen reading skills, but also to deepen family connections and encourage children to see their own culture and language represented in the stories they read.

Ultimately, the planning project will provide the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library with a strategic roadmap for developing a full-scale family literacy program across the Northern Mariana Islands. The goal is to establish a sustainable and culturally responsive approach that strengthens family engagement with reading, expands community partnerships, and ensures that local stories and Indigenous languages remain an important part of children's learning and everyday lives.

Preserving Language, Strengthening Families

Library Director Erlinda C. Naputi emphasized that the initiative is about much more than literacy—it is about bringing generations together and helping preserve the cultural heritage of the Marianas.

"Reading together gives families an opportunity to connect, learn, share stories, and create memories," Director Naputi said. "When we include our Indigenous languages and stories, we are also giving our children an opportunity to see themselves, their families, and their culture reflected in what they read. This project is an investment in our children and in the future of our community."

Public libraries play a vital role during difficult economic periods and in the wake of natural disasters, according to Naputi. They offer safe, welcoming, and accessible environments for families to connect, utilize key resources, and engage in learning. "By giving children books, offering families a supportive space to learn together, and connecting communities to essential information and resources, we foster resilience, opportunity, and hope," she emphasized.

"This grant allows us to look ahead and build something that can serve families for generations," Naputi said. "We are deeply grateful to IMLS for recognizing the importance of family literacy and Indigenous storytelling in our islands. We are equally grateful to the many individuals and organizations whose continued support makes it possible for our public libraries to remain places where our community can gather, learn, and grow together."

The library extended its heartfelt gratitude to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Friends of the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, the families of Jose C. Tenorio ("Joeten") and Manuel S. Villagomez ("Kiyu"), and the generous donors who support public library services through the Educational Tax Credit.

Director Naputi also recognized the leadership and continued support that help sustain public library services throughout the CNMI, including Governor David M. Apatang; Lt. Governor Dennis Mendiola; Charles V. Cepeda (Kiyu), Chairman of the Commonwealth Library Council;

Vice Chair Ivan Mereb of Rota; Council Members Shigeki Tenorio (Joeten), Lorena "Loling" N.

Camacho, Patrick P. Sablan, and Julie B. Sablan (Tinian); the 24th NMI Legislature; Saipan and Northern Islands Legislative Delegation (SNILD) Chairman John Paul Sablan and the delegation members, Saipan Mayor RB Camacho, Rota Mayor Aubrey Hocog, Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan and Northern Island Mayor Valentino Taisacan Jr.

The library also extends its appreciation to the dedicated teams at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, Antonio C. Atalig Memorial Library in Rota, and Tinian Public Library, whose commitment and service help ensure that library resources remain available to communities throughout the Northern Mariana Islands.

Most importantly, the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library thanks the people of the Marianas-parents, children, grandparents, educators, community leaders, storytellers, volunteers, and library patrons-for their continued support.

A Shared Investment in the Future

The "Families Reading Together" initiative reflects a simple but powerful belief: when families read together, communities grow stronger.

By combining family literacy with Chamorro and Carolinian storytelling, the project seeks to create opportunities for children to strengthen their reading skills while developing pride in their language, culture, and heritage.

As the library begins this important planning process, community voices will be central to shaping what comes next. The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library looks forward to working with families, educators, cultural practitioners, community organizations, and partners across the CNMI to build a family literacy initiative that is locally inspired, culturally meaningful, and sustainable for generations to come.

About Joeten-Kiyu Public Library

The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library serves as the State Library of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and, together with public libraries on Rota and Tinian, provides access to books, information, educational resources, programs, technology, and community services for residents throughout the Marianas. The library is committed to promoting lifelong learning, strengthening families and communities, and preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Marianas.