POCATELLO – A flood is coming to a local library this holiday season, but it won’t involve any water. Rather, it will be a flood of books.
This is the second year the Marshall Public Library will hold its own take on an Icelandic tradition called ‘Jolabokaflod,’ which literally translates to a ‘Christmastime flood of books.’ They have 200 copies of Clement C. Moore’s classic tale “The Night Before Christmas” and they will hand them out free to visiting patrons starting Dec. 2.
“It’s a tradition that celebrates reading, and so we thought this would be a wonderful thing to bring into our community just to celebrate literacy and to celebrate Christmas all together,” said Amy Azzouzat, public services supervisor for the library.
While Jolabokaflod, pronounced Yule-a-book-a-flood, is a tradition, it doesn’t date back as far as people might expect. Azzouzat explained that it started in World War II while people struggled to find anything they could gift their loved ones for Christmas, due to war-time rationing.
“Paper for whatever reason wasn’t rationed the same with the severity that other items were, so that meant it was easy to find books,” Azzouzat explained. “People started to exchange gifts at Christmas and then they would stay home all night on Christmas Eve curled up, nice and cozy, reading books.”
When Azzouzat heard about this tradition, she thought it would fit perfectly with the Pocatello community as well.
“This is also a great time of year here in Pocatello to stay home all cozy and curled up reading a book,” Azzouzat said.
The 200 books that the library will give away were acquired by the Friends of Marshall Public Library and the Pocatello Rotary Club.
Last year, the library gave away 200 copies of “A Christmas Carol,” and they were all gone by Christmastime. This year they’re giving away an illustrated book, and Azzouzat thinks they might go faster.
“We encourage people to come in sooner. Don’t leave it until there might not be any left,” Azzouzat said.
Those who wish to pick up a copy can go to the front desk on the first floor of the library to get one for their household.
“Every book that you come and get from us, you usually have to bring back, but here’s one that you get to keep,” Azzouzat said.
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