Library of books on way to Nunavut

Nunavut bookworms have a treat on the way.

And New Books... Nunavut Education Minister Ed Picco announced the release of 11 new "made-in-Nunavut" books on Tuesday. The books are geared to students from kindergarten to Grade 12. Some are in Inuktitut only, two are published in English and Inuktitut and two are published in Inuinnaqtun. Picco says there's something for everybody in the collection, stories for youngsters, legends for the middle grades and novels for the older readers. The teaching and learning centre of the department of Education produces books and teaching materials for Nunavut classrooms. Since it began in 1987, more than 400 books have been published.

The lieutenant-governor of Ontario is donating up to 20,000 books to the territory.

James Bartleman is working with the commissioner of Nunavut, Peter Irniq, to give the books to schools.

Irniq says the books are on a variety of topics about Canada and the world.

"I like it very much because we lack books in many of the communities, particularly smaller communities in Nunavut so it will give them a chance to have more books to read.

"It will help to make sure we have a good reading program, a good literacy program in the schools, in the communities. We just have to encourage our young people to read more because one of the ways to learn more is to read more and gain more knowledge about the world."

Irniq says he's working with northern airlines to see if they can deliver the books to the communities for free.

Irniq says the books are still in Ontario and will travel to Nunavut in the coming months.