New Mexico Rural Library Initiative

Please contact your state legislators and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to voice your support for adding $30 million to the New Mexico Rural Library Endowment..   Contact List attached.

Citizens without running water can fill their jugs at their local libraries in Capitan and Dixon. Students with no internet at home went to school at their library in Vallecitos during the pandemic shutdown.  Villagers celebrate the lives of those who have died at libraries like the one in El Rito. But despite these and other services rural libraries provide to sustain their towns, most struggle to have sufficient funds to keep their doors open and pay their employees.

The New Mexico Rural Library Initiative advocates for a statewide endowment of $60 million dollars, $1 million for each of 58+ eligible rural libraries, more than half of the 98 public libraries recognized by the New Mexico State Library. Over half of the rural libraries in the state are run by only one paid employee or volunteers. Many need repairs, technology, employees, and more. Many library directors are paid minimum wage or slightly above it.

‍New Mexico’s rural libraries are state treasures. Most were established by grassroots efforts of local citizens. They provide invaluable cultural, educational and economic development resources.  Unfortunately, most have no dependable operational support. In New Mexico, libraries are traditionally funded by municipal gross receipts taxes. Many rural towns are unincorporated. Their non-profit public libraries have no access to municipal funds. Other towns have only a small commercial sector with insufficient tax revenue to provide local services. Consequently, rural libraries struggle to stay open.

The endowment would provide each of 58 community and pueblo libraries with about $45,000 per year depending on earnings of the fund. Additionally, grant funds will be available for the establishment and support of new libraries in small communities that don't already have one. It will also fund specialized services to rural libraries though the New Mexico State Library.
The Endowment was created by the state legislature in 2019 and signed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. It currently has $30 million, which could provide about $23,000 per library per year. We are requesting the New Mexico Legislature appropriate an additional $30 million. This would sustain these libraries in perpetuity.                         # # #