STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

When The Community Library built its new Wood River Museum of Culture + History, members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes contributed fish traps and moccasins to represent the earliest peoples in the Wood River Valley.

Now, The Community Library is giving back by holding a book drive to outfit the new library at the new Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy at Fort Hall.

The Library is asking Wood River Valley residents to consider donating new or slightly used children’s books throughout the month of July so they can be on the shelves when school begins. Donations can be brought to the Children’s Library by July 31.

“We have enjoyed a wonderful collaboration with Shoshone-Bannock Tribes over the last few years--they’ve helped us develop exhibits at the Wood River Museum and given presentations in the lecture hall, most recently presenting on camas and the history and environmental issues around camas,” said Library Executive Director Jenny Emery Davidson. “And we’ve taken tour buses to their pow wow in August two years in a row where they welcomed us and gave us tours. So, we thought it would be wonderful to give back.”

Teachers from the Fort Hall Reservation in southeastern Idaho attend the Early Literacy Summit the Library provides for teachers each June. And through that Library officials learned about the opening of the new academy and its library.

Chief Taghee is a unique language immersion school in which students will study the Shoshone-Bannock language or languages while learning about the culture, including the importance of wildlife, plants and seasonal cycles.

Chief Tahgee, also historically spelled Targhee, was a prominent Bannock war chief who was celebrated for his peaceful attempts to resist encroachment by white settlers while securing a permanent homeland for his people on the Camas plains. Caribou-Targhee National Forest is named after him, as is Grand Targhee ski area.

The school opened in January 2026 next to ShoBan high School Before the K-7 public charter school operated out of rented portable buildings. It was built with a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

The Lookout Credit Union provided a donation to purchase books featuring indigenous authors and voices. And members of the Fort Hall Police Department have greeted students with books and doughnuts, while reading to them.

The Community Library’s relationship with the tribes started with the building of the museum.

“We needed and wanted to grow a relationship with our colleagues and they’ve been a tremendous partner,” said Davidson. “Their creativity and enthusiasm definitely elevated the museum, and we’re so excited to share the joy of reading with them.