Adventure Begins at Your Library: Explore New Mexico Tribal Libraries and Youth Programming
The New Mexico State Library Tribal Libraries Program and Youth Services were featured in a recent episode of the Encounter Culture podcast, a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
At their core, libraries are community gathering spaces. And in a large, low-population state like New Mexico, with lots of rural communities, libraries play a vital role in literacy, education, and job skills training—along with the simple joy that comes from learning and being immersed in the numerous worlds that can be found within a book’s pages.
There are 130 libraries across New Mexico, including 22 tribal libraries, and each library serves the specific needs of its own community. Many tribal libraries, such as the Santa Clara Pueblo’s library, maintain a community archive of historic photos, interviews, and oral histories that preserve the past and help restore the language.
Like most of the libraries across New Mexico, youth programming plays an important role in helping kids become early readers through story time, summer reading challenges, and special events. Youth programming also provides databases for research, tutoring, and resources for homeschoolers.
Listen to the full podcast here: Encounter Culture Podcast