El Rito Public Library

Library services. The library employs librarians to serve the publics needs for books, DVDs, use of services such as fax, scanner, and copier, and the use of 7 public computers with up-to-date software. Salaries, book and DVD purchases, computer equipment and software purchases, and office supply purchases are necessary to provide these services to the public as are utilities and facility maintenance. Some 3,200 people were served with these services in FY 23.

Kanopy. Makes a kanopy.com subscription available for free to all library patrons. Story Hour. Reading to toddlers up to age 5.

Summer reading. Summer reading is a staple of our youth programming, held every summer between June and end-of July. In July 2022 we taught 17 youth three days per week for 3 hours each session. Classes included drawing lessons, journal writing, stage play writing, puppetry, bead work and weaving, outdoor gardening and organized outdoor games. Lunch was provided for youth and caregivers and staff. In June of 2023 our classes were similar plus we offered a workshop for the youth with theater arts practice creating an original Heros Journey and we invited a visit from the local wildlife bird rehab center to learn more about owls.

Events: Oct, Halloween Trunk or Treat celebration and meal for youth and adults in costume with local band and vintage cars by local hobbyists (The Fuzzy Dice Car Club); Feb~Mar, Friday Night Winter Movies and Pot Luck; Apr, Earth Day Recycle Event; Jun, Wonders on Wheels visit to library from NM Dept of Cultural Affairs mobile museum exhibition of famed New Mexico artist Gustave Baumanns puppets and block prints; May, book talk by NM author and linguist Maria Dolores Gonzales of her latest work _From Atop the Windmill I Could See Forever_; Apr~May, a once a week morning Story Hour for toddlers up to age 5; May, the library was on the communitys Studio Tour Weekend where homemade quilts were displayed with traditional designs such as a heritage patterned Postage Stamp quilt refurbished by the librarys Quilters Guild members; Jun, memorial lunch for long-time El Rito librarian Thomas Fortson; Jun,Jul, Summer Reading Classes.

InterLibrary Books. Shipping of books to/from other libraries at the request of library patrons.