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Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Library celebrates 84 years of service"We look pretty good for 84 years. Maybe a little creaky, depending on the day. But pretty good considering," said Socorro Public Library Director Paula E. Mertz. The Socorro Public Library celebrates its 84th birthday, on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. The celebration, hosted by the Friends of the Library, will feature Christmas carols sung by the women's choir Las Cantantes. A rich history The Socorro Public Library started in 1924, as an oak book cabinet housed at a local drug store. The modest collection of books was loaned out using an honor system in which users would contribute or exchange books they had finished reading for newly contributed books from other users. The collection of books expanded over the years until a group of volunteers from the Woman's Auxiliary to the American Institute of Metallurgical Engineers purchased a turn-of-the-century adobe building from the Baptist Church in 1932. Since then, the library has gone through several renovations. Timbers from the bosque line the ceilings while hand-carved vigas from the San Mateo Mountains offer support to the older part of the library, which houses the Southwestern Collection. "You can imagine what kind of feat this was considering these timbers were most likely brought here by wagon," said Mertz. A collection of pueblo pottery and Indian artifacts, donated by photographer Joseph E. Smith, are encased in a walnut-and-glass bookcase. Rows of various fired clay tiles depicting local petroglyphs surround the walls. The tiles are inscribed with the names of people who have contributed to the library's building programs. Recent additions The most recent additions to the library were done in 1998. The 1998 addition included a modern Children's Room, which includes computers with Internet access and a larger children's book collection. The library hosts twice-weekly preschool story times on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and arts and crafts workshops. "If you can get a child interested in reading early in life, you have a reader for life," said Mertz. Children are only allowed on the Internet with parental supervision. Literature regarding Internet safety for children can be found at the librarian's desk, located at the front of the Children's Room. A hidden jewel The third-floor meeting and catalogue rooms were also included in the 1998 addition. "Most people don't know that we have a third floor. It's a hidden jewel, thanks to the architect who designed it," explained Mertz. The meeting room offers a wireless Internet connection, a pull-down movie screen and a kitchenette. A librarian uses a system called "dumping the disk" in which new books are catalogued into the main computer that transfers the information to the rest of the library computers when the librarian is finished — thus replacing the old paper index card system. The catalogue room also houses a collection of rare books that are currently out of print. Library patrons can request permission to view these books but cannot remove them from the premises. The Socorro Public Library offers many services and a wealth of local history to Socorro-area residents. Whether you need help with your résumé or research assistance, the library has something to offer everyone.
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