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Resident urges library commission to press for Princess Sophia exhibit after shipment, policy hurdles
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Summary
A longtime library volunteer told the Fairbanks North Star Borough Library and Literacy Commission she secured funding commitments to bring the Alaska State Museum’s Princess Sophia traveling exhibit to Fairbanks but encountered staff scheduling and contract/policy barriers that prevented the show from appearing in time for schools.
Eldene Kilburn, a longtime library volunteer and former member of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Libraries, told the Fairbanks North Star Borough Library and Literacy Commission on Dec. 10 that she had pursued the Alaska State Museum’s traveling Princess Sophia exhibit and secured local funding commitments but the exhibit did not come to Fairbanks because of scheduling and policy restrictions.
Kilburn said she obtained pledges of $1,000 each from the Fairbanks Genealogical Society, the Pioneer Foundation and the Doi An Foundation to cover shipping and logistical costs. "The Princess Sophia impact on Alaska and the Yukon was as great as the sinking of the Titanic," Kilburn said, framing the exhibit as a significant local history opportunity. She said she spoke with Mary Irving at the Alaska State Museum and worked to arrange shipping and space at local venues.
Kilburn told commissioners that attempts to arrange the exhibit met resistance from library staff. She said a December email from a library staff member named Jamia indicated the exhibit could not be scheduled immediately and that a follow‑up letter cited library policy reasons why it could not be hosted. "She basically said, 'why would anybody be interested in Fairbanks about this?,'" Kilburn recounted, attributing that phrasing to Jamia.
Commissioners asked Kilburn how she would like the library to handle exhibits and education outreach; Kilburn suggested teacher‑focused previews, labeled displays, documentary screenings and use of museum loan materials for classrooms. Commissioners and staff acknowledged contract and space constraints: one staff member explained that some state contracts specify whether an exhibit may be displayed in a public space and that particular traveling contracts sometimes require additional negotiation to permit public‑facing installations.
The exchange concluded with commissioners thanking Kilburn for raising the issue and asking staff to share the written letter and policy details Kilburn had received. Kilburn said she would provide a copy of the letter, and commissioners indicated they would consider whether the commission should take up the matter at a future agenda setting meeting.
The commission did not take formal action on the exhibit during the meeting; Kilburn’s comments were received during the public comment period and commissioners requested follow‑up information from staff.
