Rolling into Rural Communities: Bookmobiles and Books by Mail Across New Mexico
For many people who live in New Mexico the nearest library might be three hundred miles away. Luckily, the New Mexico State Library runs two excellent rural library services: Books by Mail and three bookmobiles that serve different regions of the state. If you live 20 minutes outside of the city limits of any city in New Mexico, or if you live within city limits but are homebound, or if you can only read large-print books, you can sign up for Books by Mail. The Books by Mail collection contains more than 30,000 titles, including books in Spanish, audiobooks, eBooks, and more.
For schools and small communities who want to browse the shelves or access the internet from the bookmobile’s portable satellite terminal, check out the New Mexico State Library website to find out when and where a bookmobile will be stopping near you. And don’t forget to chat with the bookmobile librarian to find out what reading events and projects are offered during stops in your community!
“I care about people first. I care about what’s going on in their lives,” says Berdina Nieto, the New Mexico State Library Books by Mail librarian and rural services outreach specialist. “Patrons will call just to get their book order and then tell me what’s going on in their world, and then I’ll do the same.
Listen to the full podcast here: Encounter Culture Podcast May 27, 2024 episode