by Kelly McCabe, Youth Services Coordinator
Public libraries across New Mexico filled their summer with adventure – because Adventure Begins at Your Library! In some library systems across the state planning for the Summer Reading Program means planning displays and programs for multiple branches with differing patron needs. The Santa Fe Public Library has three branches serving Santa Fe and the surrounding area – in three distinct neighborhoods with very different populations. This July, I decided to try a “Day in the Life of Summer Reading” by visiting all three branches in a single day of their scheduled Summer Reading programming.
I started the morning at Santa Fe’s Main branch, which sits just a couple blocks from the historic plaza in downtown Santa Fe, where there was a Bilingual Books and Babies program underway in the community room. Signage and displays for the Summer Reading Program were abundant in the second floor children’s room and throughout the common spaces. Katherine Cornwell, Youth Librarian at the Main Branch, said that the weekly Craft-o-Mania program – participants get to sample a new craft each week – has been the most successful at their branch this summer. I was also excited to see a flyer about the Teen Scratch and Win at the main branch, and would get more details about that program later in my day.
After leaving Main, I headed to the SFPL Southside branch in a busy residential area and across the street from the year-old Santa Fe Teen Center. At Southside, a special presentation was underway from the New Mexico Wildlife Center featuring Sly, a Red-Eared Slider turtle who has been an ambassador animal with the center since 2000. The attendees range from babies-in-arms to grandparents and hear all about Sly’s food preferences (red lettuce and green beans) and the larger mission of the Center.
Susan Reynolds, the Youth Librarian at Southside, says that their patrons are vocal about how much the library means to them – “Everyday I hear patrons say, We love the library and appreciate all that you do!” Similar to the Main branch, the Southside library was full of bulletin boards, displays, and flyers relating to the Summer Reading Program, including a large mural in the lobby and multiple “photo op” displays in the Children’s Room. Tiffany Paisley, Library Section Manager for Programs at Santa Fe Public Library also has her office at the Southside branch and is getting acclimated to Santa Fe after joining the system at the start of Summer Reading. Paisley looks forward to getting started on planning for next year’s Summer Reading Program using this year’s experience as a guide. Next year’s Art focus, with the Color Our World slogan, is the perfect fit for Santa Fe and all of New Mexico. At Southside, I also found out more about the Teen Scratch and Win program which encourages teens to check-in with library staff regarding their summer reading. Teens are given a scratch-off card which they can use to select a prize from a bin – a sticker, a treat, a pop-it, and more. This low-stress program has proven very popular!
Leaving Southside, I made my way to the third Santa Fe branch, Oliver La Farge, which sits adjacent to both Santa Fe High School and Milagro Middle School – and a quick drive from the New Mexico State Library. The Summer Reading program at La Farge that day was a Bicycle Helmet Fitting and Giveaway to keep patrons safe on all their bicycle adventures! This program is one of the initiatives of the Brain Injury Advisory Council, a program of the Governor’s Commission on Disability. Patrons lined up early to have a custom fitting of a brand-new helmet from a trained BIAC coordinator and the program was repeated at the other two locations. Santa Fe Public Library’s grand prizes for this year’s program were new bikes – hopefully the winners got their new helmets as well!
At La Farge I also had the chance to catch up with Lydia O’Reilly, the branch Youth Librarian and talk about her branch’s focus on nature programming. The branch has a Children’s Garden off the Children’s Room, a pollinator garden out front, and monthly nature-themed programs. This summer the programs included make-your-own terrariums, natural dyes, and DIY windchimes. Their plant exchange program (previously covered in the Hitchhiker) also continues to flourish. O’Reilly stated that participation in programming has continued to rise over the summer and are almost back to pre-pandemic levels.
It was a wonderful, busy day of Summer Reading Programming in Santa Fe – and inspiring to see such energy and creativity across the city!