The New Mexico State Library is pleased to be participating in the state-wide Summer Intern program to offer experience in the operations of the state library and working for the state of New Mexico. We have two excellent graduate interns working with the NMSL Development Bureau on our upcoming Circulating Kits and Traveling Exhibits program and with our Youth Services Coordinator on Summer Reading site visits. Jennifer Chen is a native Californian and a recent MLIS graduate from San Jose State University expanding on her experience in public libraries in California. Marley Jameson-Sisneros will begin her MLIS studies this Fall after working in academic libraries as an undergraduate and is discovering new parts of her native New Mexico. Jennifer and Marley will be reporting on their experiences and takeaways from library visits around the state. You can read about her experience at Embudo Valley Library here.
By Marley Jameson-Sisneros
We had the pleasure of visiting Bosque Farms Public Library on Thursday July 20th as we made a visit to observe summer reading programming in Bosque Farms and Los Lunas. My mentor Kelly McCabe, fellow intern Jennifer Chen, State Data Coordinator Carmelita Aragon, and I arrived in Bosque Farms to attend the Alpaca Storytime happening that morning. The library serves the town of over 4,000 and is centrally located across from the elementary school and beside the municipal complex.
We were met by Library Director Toni-Lynn Hart who gave us a tour of the great space and shared some of the history of the library. Hart first brought us to a closet that was once the library but is now used for storage, evidence of the growth the library has seen in the past 40 years. The library’s main room has computers, books, handouts, and the circulation desk. Behind the circulation desk is an area for staff to work, to the side of the desk is the children’s area. Branching off from the main room is a museum room with items from the Valencia County Citizen’s Patrol including items that belonged to Bo Diddley, who served for the department. Also branching off from the main room is a wonderful programming space which has doors leading outside to the park behind the library where the Alpaca Storytime was held.
Director Toni-Lynn Hart spoke to us about the wonderful variety of programming the library offers. Hart teaches dance classes in the indoor space with a variety of different classes and age groups. Through these classes, Hart can use her over twenty years of experience teaching dance to benefit her community and library. Dance classes can be expensive, and Hart provides a way for the community to learn or try out different dance forms for free at the library. Beyond that, the library hosts other fun events like Read to Dogs and story times. Hart told us she tries to have a story time theme as we toured the space. She takes inspiration from what the kids show interest in when she chooses her story time themes.
This week Cowboy Camelids Alpaca Ranch brought their eight-year-old alpaca named Bodacious to the story time in the park. Hart read the book Cody, The Teeny Tiny Alpaca by Amber Isaac before Bill from Cowboy Camelids gave an educational talk about alpacas and answered questions from the audience. The story follows the true story of an alpaca named Cody who is one of the smallest surviving alpacas in the US. The story time was fun and a good opportunity for children to learn about alpacas and how to approach and appreciate livestock.
I am very appreciative of Hart as she was happy to give Jennifer and me advice as new people in the field. Her encouragement is inspiring. She emphasized how important knowing your community is, which I think we have really witnessed through these visits. Bosque Farms has a substantial presence of multigenerational families enjoying the library together. Many residents of Bosque Farms grew up coming to the library, and now bring their children and grandchildren with them. Hart is appreciative of this aspect of her library, and I was happy to hear her speak of her community so warmly and see how tied to the community the library is. Thank you to Director Toni-Lynn Hart and other Bosque Farms library staff for having us.