Department of Cultural Affairs provide grants to rural libraries

Small town libraries are the lifeblood of rural communities.

Each is a learning center and meeting place for residents along with providing reading and educational opportunities, broadband internet, even workforce development.

Rural libraries have limited funding sources though, relying on volunteer support, donations and grants.

Some are forced to choose between purchasing children’s books and keeping up with building maintenance.

To help, the New Mexico State Legislature created the Rural Libraries Endowment Fund with an initial investment of $1 million in 2019 and this year Department of Cultural Affairs Secretary Debra Garcia y Griego requested and received an additional $15 million dollars for the fund, raising the total principal to $28 million dollars.

“The Department of Cultural Affairs understands and appreciates the priceless value that rural libraries provide as centers of rural communities,” says DCA Secretary Garcia y Griego in statement. “And we are thrilled that we can help ensure that everyone will be around for generations to come.”

Distributions from the earnings of the endowment will be used to support eligible rural libraries.

Tara Parker, the head librarian at the Eunice Public Library, said additional money could be used to improve their facilities, buy more books, provide activities and upgrade the library.

“We have become more of a service facility,” says Parker. “We provide summer entertainment programs adults and children like to use, but a lot of people still want to read.”

Parker says they take extra steps to help senior citizens with failing eyesight who still love to pick up a book.

The grant money may be used to upgrade and create library programs, services and materials statewide providing operational and capital needs to rural libraries including salaries, books, electronic materials, furniture, utility costs and money for specialized services, over the course of the state fiscal year.

“Having worked with rural libraries for over 15 years, I know how critical they are to the strength and resilience of the community,” says Eli Guinee, New Mexico State Librarian. “They help make small towns wonderful places to live. Anything we can do to support a rural library supports the education, economy, health and wellbeing of the community it serves.”

Funds can be disbursed to the Rural Library Program Fund each year, from which the N.M. State Library makes grant awards to eligible libraries. Fiscal Year 2024 grants will be $2,646 for each library and could increase in future years as additional DCA funding grows.

The grants are intended for libraries that serve a population of 3,000 or less. There are currently 54 libraries that are eligible for Rural Library Program Grants.

The New Mexico State Library will be releasing the grant application for the grants later this year.