Category: Community

[Saipan, MP]  Thousands of book lovers joined the Library of Congress National Book Festival in-person on September 6, 2025 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington DC. This year’s festival theme “Uniting Book Lovers for 25 Years” celebrated the transformative power of books in all of us. Every year, the National Book Festival brings together best-selling authors, poets and illustrators with thousands of readers for book talks, panel discussions, book signings and other engaging activities from across the country and beyond to celebrate reading, literacy, authors, and community.

The Northern Marianas Center for the Book: Joeten-Kiyu Public Library shined at the Roadmap to Reading floor by proudly displaying the official book selections for 2025, representing the Northern Mariana Island’s local literary heritage. The 2025 Book of the Year titles selected were:

• • Håfa Un A’atan? by Dolores Ichihara Marciano. Illustrated by Rodante Guardas. Written in Chamorro with English translation, published by the Children of Our Homeland A.N.A. Project, the Library Friends c/o Joeten-Kiyu Public Library (2025 Young Reader’s Official Selection)
  • In Retrospect written and published by Juan Nekai Babauta (2025 Adult Reader’s Official Selection)

Dressed in Chamorro floral print with a Northern Mariana Islands backdrop featuring our CNMI flag, a beach scene and an ancient Chamorro latte house, Team JKPL proudly shared the warmth, culture, and hospitality of the Northern Marianas with thousands of festival attendees. The team included NMI Center for the Book Director/Library Director Erlinda C. Naputi, NMI Center for the Book Program Manager/Technical Services Librarian Beth Demapan, and NMI Center for the Book Administrative Manager/Administrative Officer III Vincent P. Sablan. Visitors were captivated not only by the books but also by the stories, language, and rich cultural heritage of the Northern Marianas, with many expressing interest in visiting the islands.

“We are thrilled to participate in the National Book Festival’s Roadmap to Reading,” said Library Director Erlinda C. Naputi. “It is a great honor to represent the Northern Mariana Islands in our nation’s capital. This festival provides a remarkable opportunity to celebrate literacy, connect with book lovers from across the country, and showcase the unique culture, language, and stories of our islands. Coming from such a remote Pacific community, we are humbled to leave a lasting impression and inspire others to learn about and visit the Northern Marianas. Congratulations to our 2025 Book of the Year authors, Juan Nekai Babauta and Dolores Ichihara Marciano. I am also deeply grateful to my hardworking team for their dedication and commitment to promoting literacy and cultural heritage. Thank you to Keith Sonderling, Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), who warmly expressed his admiration by sharing how he loves the Northern Mariana Islands’ Center for the Book booth. Thank you to distinguished visitors to the JKPL booth including—NMI Delegate U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds, IMLS Associate Deputy Director Teri Devoe, IMLS Senior Program Officers Madison Bolls and Susan Fuller, Chief Officers of State Library Agencies Executive Director Jeremy Johannessen, Federation of State Humanities Councils President Phoebe Stein, and Guy Lamolinara, former Executive Director for the Center for the Book. Thank you to our amazing team for their hard work, and to all the thousands of visitors who praised, loved, and continued to support our library outreach here at the National Book Festival despite how far we traveled, we were able to display the best booth amongst the 56 booths in the Roadmap to Reading. We appreciate all the support we received from the mainland community, and we are always proud to promote our island beauty, culture, heritage, language, and history at the National Book Festival.”

During the 2025 National Book Festival at the Washington Convention Center, representatives from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Northern Marianas staffed tables to promote their book selections and other literary works reflective of their unique locations. The area at the convention center where the 56 tables were assembled is called the Roadmap to Reading. This activity has been a part of the festival since 2002.

About the Library of Congress

Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

The National Book Festival is made possible by the generous support of private- and public-sector sponsors who share the Library’s commitment to reading and literacy, led by National Book Festival Co-Chair David M. Rubenstein. Sponsors include General Motors, James Madison Council, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Friends of the Library of Congress, the John W. Kluge Center, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Diane and Tim Naughton, the Hay-Adams, Joseph and Lynn Deutsch, the Library of Congress Federal Credit Union and the Junior League of Washington. Presenting Partners include NPR and C-SPAN’s Book TV, which will televise select events and interview featured authors. Media Partners also include The Washington Post, Libro.fm, the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals.

All NMI Selections for the Center for the Book are available for check-out at the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library.

Håfa Un A’atan? by Dolores Ichihara Marciano. Illustrated by Rodante Guardas. Written in Chamorro with English translation, published by the Children of Our Homeland A.N.A. Project, the Library Friends c/o Joeten-Kiyu Public Library (2025 Young Readers Official Selection)

In Retrospect written and published by Juan Nekai Babauta (2025 Adult Readers Official Selection)

Hafa Sinentete-mu? by Adora Jay San Nicolas. (2024 Official Selection Children/Young Adult). Illustrated by Xander Creations. Written in Chamorro with English translation, edited by the Chamorro and Carolinian Language Policy Commission and the Carolinian Affair’s Office, and published by the Lady Diann Torres Foundation through the Language in Literacy Young Author’s Program. To purchase a copy of this book, please contact the Lady Diann Torres Foundation via email ladydianntorresfoundation@gmail.com

The Rope of Tradition: Reflections of a Saipan Carolinian by Lino Olopai with Dr. Juliana Flinn. (2024 Official Adult Selection) published by the Northern Marianas Humanities Council in collaboration with the Children of Our Homeland Project/Joeten-Public Library. To purchase a copy of this book, please contact info@nmhcouncil.org or call 6702354785.

Bweletáál Wischiirá, eew kkol Refaluwasch The Stick Dance, A Carolinian Tradition by Jude Litulumar (2023 Official Selection Children/Young Adult). To purchase a copy of this book, please contact the Lady Diann Torres Foundation via email ladydianntorresfoundation@gmail.com

Saipan: A Brief History by Don Farrell (2023 Official Selection Adult) To purchase a copy of this book, please contact donfarrelltinian@gmail.com or the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library (670) 235-7318.

“I Duendis: The Duendis” by Cielo Long (2022 Official Selection Children)
A story of a young girl named Rita who goes missing on Tinian and suffers the consequences of disobeying her mother. Written in Chamorro with English translation and published by the Lady Diann Torres Foundation’s Language and Literacy Young Authors Program.

“Marmalade’s Exciting Tail (Book One of The Marmalade Series)” by Katrina Manning (2022 Official Selection Young Adult) Manning’s first book, Marmalade’s Exciting Tail, is set in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. It is a modern story of Claire Young, a Web developer who recently broke up with her fiancé. Planning for a fresh start, she starts packing to move to another city for an intriguing job offer when her cat escapes and runs away. Claire cannot imagine losing her furry best friend, so she does the first thing that comes to mind—she asks her ex-fiancé, Kirk, to assist her in the search.

“The Fundamental Issues Affecting the Northern Mariana Islands” by Jose S. Dela Cruz (2022 Official Selection Adult) The Fundamental Issues Affecting the Northern Mariana Islands discusses in greater detail the political arrangement between the United States and the Northern Marianas. It highlights and discusses some of the fundamental issues affecting the Northern Marianas as a self-governing commonwealth within the American political family. The first set of issues includes its geographical isolation, small land area, small population, lack of natural resources, and lack of capital required for economic development. The second set of issues relates to local self-governance and matters of qualification and competence of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) public officials, both elected and appointed. In order for the CNMI to succeed as a self-governing commonwealth, several fundamental matters have to be addressed and issues related to such matters have to be corrected by its leaders.

About Northern Mariana Islands Center for the Book: Joeten-Kiyu Public Library

Northern Mariana Islands Center for the Book (NMICB) is a state affiliate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress. NMICB promotes literacy and a love of books, reading, and libraries throughout the state, celebrating the Northern Marianas’ robust literary heritage. The NMI Center for the Book is under the direction of the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library-NMI State Library, which seeks to preserve the CNMI’s cultural heritage by connecting people, libraries, and government to the resources and tools they need to succeed and to build a strong community. The NMI Center for the Book encourages, develops, and promotes an appreciation for books and the bridges they create across the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands- Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The NMI Center for the Book builds partnerships with library professionals, educators, authors, publishers, and booksellers who provide support to our shared mission of promoting a love of literature and lifelong learning throughout the CNMI. NMICB is administered by the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library-CNMI State Library, an independent program under the Office of the Governor.

Please enjoy your public library’s free resources by visiting our website at www.cnmilib.org like/follow JKPL’s Facebook page @joetenkiyupubliclibrary, Instagram @joetenkiyupubliclibrary, Tik Tok @jkpl670, Twitter @JoetenKiyu, and YouTube: joeten kiyu public library or visit our website www.cnmilib.org to see the progress and programs JKPL has worked so hard to offer for our community. For more information regarding any of our activities, please contact JKPL @670-235-7322/7318.

HOW CAN YOU HELP ASSIST WITH OUR PROGRAMS?

We welcome and encourage businesses to please consider donating Educational Tax Credit. Pursuant to NMI Public Law 15-120, the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library is able to receive cash contributions under Educational Tax Credit (ETC). Please make checks payable to: CNMI Treasury. For MUNIS payments, to the Friends of the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library MUNIS Vendor ID#100404.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services LS-256853-OLS-24.

National Book Festival Roadmap to Reading is made possible by the generous support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services with support from Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA).

This project was made possible in part by the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grant.

The Joeten-Kiyu Public Library is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

####