INUVIK - Santa's coming to the library. He won't be coming down the chimney because they don't have one.

They're a crafty bunch at the Inuvik Centennial Library – pictured are Delaney Elias, from left, Delaney Arey, Eric Kudlak, Lauren Cockney, Felicia Elanik, Tyren Kisoun and Delaney O. Elias doing crafts. - Aaron Beswick/NNSL photos

He'll be walking in the door on Dec. 17 to visit the Inuvik youth from 5 to 7 p.m.

"Santa doesn't usually help with the crafts, that'll be up to us," said assistant librarian Melani Adams.

Her plan is for Santa to arrive and find a crowd of young readers busy making crafts - decorations or presents. While Santa will likely be reminded of his elves, Adams will be thinking about literacy.

She's always thinking about literacy.

"People think of literacy as books but crafts are a physical thing, a way students can express what they've read," said Adams. "Many of the children are very gifted with craft work."

The Inuvik Centennial Library isn't only looking out for boys and girls during the lead-up to Christmas, it's also lending a helping hand to parents. On Dec. 20 and 21, the library will be open for parents to drop off their children from 1 to 5 p.m. so they can get out and do some last-minute shopping. The children, meanwhile, will do crafts, play games and other activities related to Christmas.

Regular programming at the library will be maintained in the coming weeks as well. That includes Reading Rascals from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday mornings, during which parents and toddlers read and do crafts together.

With all the cold weather it's often tempting to turn on the television, but the Adams is hoping that people will choose to instead snuggle up with a book a bit more this winter. There's entire worlds to discover between the pages of the books at the library - take a voyage down the Mackenzie River while reading about the North's early explorers, peer into the lives that came before or the fantastical imaginations of what may come with science fiction. If you're of the practical bent, you can always read a "how to" book.

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