The Tuzzy Consortium Library is named in honor of the late Evelyn Tuzroyluk Higbee and serves students, faculty, staff and the public throughout the North Slope. As a college library, the collection is developed in support of the mission of Iḷisaġvik College. The library has a growing Alaska/circumpolar collection with an emphasis on information relating to the Arctic, Polar Regions, the North Slope, and Iñupiat history, language and culture.
The library’s online catalog can be accessed from the library webpage. The catalog contains all of the holdings of the Tuzzy Library and its branches in the villages of the North Slope, as well as 6 million titles from libraries across the state including all UAF, UAA, and UAS libraries. The library also provides reference service and research assistance. Material may be requested from out of state and international libraries through interlibrary loan (ILL) services. Requests for interlibrary loan materials can be e-mailed to ILL@tuzzy.org. Transit time for books and films from out of state locations is usually two to three weeks. Journal article requests are usually filled in eight to twelve days.
Electronic resources such as Iñupiat and Arctic resources, e-books, audiobooks, journal articles, Live Homework Help, and other databases may be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the library webpage. For assistance using these resources please email the library at tuzzy@tuzzy.org or call the library at 907-852-4050 or 800-478-6916.
The library maintains an extensive archive of rare books, films, audio recordings, manuscript collections and newspapers. For access to these resources, please contact the library for an appointment with the archivist.
Tuzzy Consortium Library has a classroom and a conference room that are utilized by many of the departments at Iḷisaġvik College. These spaces are also available for public use. The library also has a dedicated children’s room, a teen room and quiet study space for students to use. All of the spaces access the library’s free and open Wi-Fi. There are 18 public use computers in the library, as well as 10 laptops that can be checked out for in-library use.
With a wide array of programming, there is always something happening at Tuzzy Consortium Library. There are programs for children, teens, adults and families. Stop by, call, or e-mail the library to see what events and programs the library is currently hosting. Weekly programming can be found on the Tuzzy home page and their Facebook page.
The Tuzzy Consortium Library, located in the Iñupiat Heritage Center on Northstar Street, is open six days a week:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm
Tuesday, Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm
Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm
The library can be contacted through email at tuzzy@tuzzy.org, phone at 907-852-4050 or by fax 907-852-4059. The library maintains a toll-free number for village students at 800-478-6916.