The Skagway Public Library

Wifi is available outside the library 10am-10pm..  

Windy Valley Babies (Story Time) Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. – designed for ages 0-3. Sing and read stories with Ms. Anna! 

Music Saturdays. Come play around on our mandolin, ukulele, guitar, banjo or piano!

Late Night Library Select Friday nights at 6 p.m. Evenings include crafts, game nights, special guests and activities for young patrons in fifth grade and up!

U.S. Passports: Crystal Harris, our Library Assistant, is currently Skagway’s only passport acceptance agent. Applications are accepted by appointment only Tuesday through Friday. day. Please call to schedule. For more more information – 907-983-2665 or email library@skagway.org

Grants for Recreational Trails

The Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (DPOR) is accepting grant applications for the Recreational Trails Program for fiscal year 2025. Approximately $2.2 million is available for eligible Alaska projects. The Recreational Trails grant program provides up to 90% matching for the cost of a project.

Funding for the program comes from the Federal Highway Administration, which has awarded Alaska $22 million (requiring $6 million in matching funds) for 571 projects since 1993. Alaska’s available apportionment is typically between $1 million and $1.5 million each year.

Grant categories include motorized, non-motorized, and diversified (winter and summer) projects.

 The maximum individual grant award amounts for FY2025:

$300,000 for Motorized/Motorized diversified projects

$200,000 for Non-motorized/ Non-motorized diversified projects

 Applications are due by Oct. 31, 2024. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, educational institutions, State of Alaska, local and federal government entities, native corporations and tribal governments. Interested parties can register on IRIS. The grants will be awarded between March and May of 2025. More information is available here: http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/grants/trails.htm.

Rasmuson Foundation is accepting applications for Tier 1 and Community Support grants, now with increased award sizes. These awards form a central part of Rasmuson Foundation’s grantmaking activities, supporting nonprofit organizations in Alaska with key resources and infusions of capital.

Tier 1 grants

Tier 1 is a core program of the Foundation, known for fast capital and one-time funding. In addition to a 40% increase in the maximum award size, the program now allows organizations to apply up to 15% of an award toward administrative costs. Tier 1 grants will provide up to $35,000 per project and the application period opens Aug. 15. This is a rolling grant program, and applications are accepted throughout the year.

Community Support grants fund capital projects and programmatic projects with broad community impact. The grants are intended for requests between $35,000 and $250,000. Capital requests will be approved quarterly, while non-capital/programmatic requests will be reviewed twice a year. Grants of this size do not require an invitation to apply, and organizations can access the application starting Aug. 15.

The Foundation anticipates awarding 150-175 Tier 1 grants and 10-20 Community Support grants annually. 

Program details, application tips, and frequently asked questions are also available at rasmuson.org. 

IRS Schoolteacher deduction

The maximum deduction for classroom expenses in 2024 remains at $300.

 This deduction allows educators to offset the cost of supplies, materials and other classroom essentials, providing some financial relief for those who spend their own money to improve their students’ learning experience.

 Under federal law, this $300 cap is unchanged from 2023, continuing the adjustment for inflation that began in 2022 when the limit was raised from $250.

This deduction is available for teachers, instructors, counselors, principals and aides who work at least 900 hours a school year in a school providing elementary or secondary education. Educators filing jointly can claim up to $600 if both spouses are eligible, but no more than $300 per person. Educators can claim this deduction even if they take the standard deduction, and both public and private school educators qualify.

Educators can claim deductions for out-of-pocket expenses on classroom items like books, supplies, equipment (including computers and software). They may also deduct costs for professional development courses relevant to their teaching, though it could be more advantageous to use other educational tax benefits like the lifetime learning credit (refer to Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education, Chapter 3).

 Expenses for homeschooling or nonathletic supplies for health or physical education are not eligible. The IRS recommends educators maintain detailed records, such as receipts and canceled checks, to substantiate their deductions.