Moose Pass Public Library
🏢 Kenai Peninsula Borough · Moose Pass, Alaska
Moose Pass Public Library
Founded in 1938 by the Moose Pass Sewing Club with just a bagful of books, the Moose Pass Public Library is one of the oldest public libraries in Alaska — a testament to the resourcefulness of a small Kenai Peninsula community that has tended its own reading room for nearly 90 years. Today it occupies a renovated block building on Depot Road that once shared its walls with the town's fire truck, and serves as a full community hub for this census-designated place along the Seward Highway.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 2pm–6pm |
| Tuesday | 2pm–6pm |
| Wednesday | 2pm–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–6pm |
| Friday | 10am–12pm & 2pm–6pm |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 33675 Depot Road, MOOSE PASS, AK 99631
Phone: +1-907-288-3111
Website: library.moosepassalaska.com
Plus Code: 93GGFJQJ+44 (MOOSE PASS, AK)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Moose Pass Public Library
The Moose Pass Public Library traces its founding to 1938, when members of the Moose Pass Sewing Club established the collection with assistance from attorney L. V. Ray. The library's first books came from Ann Chisolm, the town's first official schoolteacher, who brought them from her previous school on Latouche Island — and the library opened with just seventeen cardholders. Originally housed in a shed on school grounds, the collection moved in 1961 to a block building constructed by the Moose Pass Sportsmen's Club; for years the library occupied one end of that structure while the town's fire truck occupied the other. After the fire station relocated, a major 2018 renovation expanded the library space significantly, transforming it into what the library itself describes as a fully modernized public resource. The library is independently operated and holds a diverse collection including children's books, young adult fiction, audiovisuals, DVDs, puzzles and games, and a Kiddie Corner for young readers. All cardholders have free access to Alaska Digital Library eBooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines, and the library also connects patrons to the Alaska Digital Newspaper Program for historical research.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Founded 1938 by the Moose Pass Sewing Club — one of the oldest continuously operating public libraries in Alaska
- Original collection brought by the town's first schoolteacher, Ann Chisolm, from Latouche Island; opened with 17 cardholders
- Housed since 1961 in a Sportsmen's Club building that once served double duty as the town's fire station
- Major 2018 renovation expanded the library space after the fire station relocated
- Offers print, copy, and fax services; free Wi-Fi; public computers; and Alaska Digital Library eBooks
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Moose Pass cardholders can borrow and research free through Alaska's statewide digital collections:
📚 Services
- Free public library card
- Circulation of books, audiobooks, DVDs, magazines, games, and puzzles
- Public computers with internet access and free Wi-Fi
- Print, copy, and fax services (nominal fee)
- Interlibrary loan via online catalog
- Alaska Digital Library eBooks and audiobooks
- Children's Kiddie Corner reading area
- Document lamination, DVD cleaning, and equipment rental (chimney brush, Kill-a-Watt meter)
🎸 Programs
- Novel Book Club and Short Story Book Club (active fall/winter/spring)
- Monthly Movie Nights for children and adults during winter months
- Tot Time for young children
- Family Book Club
- Summer reading activities
📍 Nearby Libraries on the Kenai Peninsula
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How old is the Moose Pass Public Library and how did it start?
The Moose Pass Public Library was founded in 1938, making it nearly 90 years old and one of the oldest public libraries in Alaska. It was started by members of the Moose Pass Sewing Club with help from attorney L. V. Ray. The first books came from Ann Chisolm, the town's first schoolteacher, who brought them from her previous school on Latouche Island. The library opened with just seventeen cardholders.
Why does the library have unusual hours with a break on Fridays?
The Moose Pass Public Library is a small community-run library serving a census-designated place with a population of several hundred. Its volunteer and part-time staffing structure results in the split Friday schedule: 10am–noon and then 2–6pm. Monday through Wednesday the library is open 2–6pm, and Thursday is the longest day at 10am–6pm.
Can I access the digitized Moose Pass Miner newspaper through the library?
Yes. The Moose Pass Public Library connects patrons to the Alaska Digital Newspaper Program, which provides free access to digitized historical issues of the Moose Pass Miner online. This is a valuable resource for anyone researching local and regional history along the Seward Highway corridor.
What makes the library building historically interesting?
The current building was constructed in 1961 by the Moose Pass Sportsmen's Club and originally served dual purposes: the library occupied one end and the town's fire truck was parked at the other. After the fire station relocated, a 2018 renovation expanded the library into the full space, creating what is now a modernized community resource center.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
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