Tuzzy Library bolsters Arctic culture, civic access across North Slope

The Tuzzy Consortium Library in Utqiagvik acts as a dual-purpose institution for the North Slope Borough, combining the functions of a public library and the academic library for Iḷisaġvik College. Its holdings emphasize Arctic and Iñupiaq history, culture and language, while its designation as a Federal Depository Library makes it a local hub for government publications and public records—resources that matter for accountability and civic participation across the region.

Tuzzy delivers a mix of services important to residents and students alike: public internet access, research resources, archives and year-round programming for all ages. Those services support classroom work at Iḷisaġvik College, local history projects, language revitalization efforts and the basic internet connectivity many North Slope households rely on for health, education and business. The library also maintains branch and school-library partnerships across villages, including Point Hope and Wainwright, expanding access beyond Utqiagvik.

For a region where distances and climate shape daily life, the library’s digital resources and inter-village partnerships help bridge the information gap. The Federal Depository status means residents can consult federal documents locally rather than traveling long distances or relying solely on intermittent connectivity. That access supports informed voting, community planning and research into issues from subsistence policy to infrastructure funding.

Institutionally, Tuzzy’s dual role raises questions about sustainable funding, staffing and the balance of priorities between academic and public service missions. Maintaining archives of Iñupiaq language and cultural materials requires long-term investment in preservation and digitization. Continued broadband capacity at the library is also central to closing the digital divide and ensuring students and elders can access telehealth, remote learning and federal resources when village internet is limited.

The library’s partnerships with village schools and community programming make it a practical node for civic education and cultural continuity. Residents seeking materials, public internet access or archival research can find information and services at the library’s site: tuzzy.org.

What this means for North Slope readers is straightforward: Tuzzy is more than a book collection. It is a civic infrastructure asset that supports education, preserves Iñupiaq heritage and provides a local doorway to federal information. Sustaining and expanding those services will shape how residents engage with government, preserve local knowledge and access opportunities across the Borough in the years ahead.