The Merry Librarian

We were impressed with the heart behind this story. It’s just more proof that librarians and libraries and an integral part of our communities. We’re also confident there are hundreds of stories just like this one out there that haven’t yet been told! If you or a librarian you know has served your community in a unique and quiet way, we want to know about it! Send in your inspirational stories of library service to us today at submit@merrylibrarian.com. And thank you to all of those working so hard in NM to provide a better quality of life to your patrons through the library!

“The New Mexico State Library is the last state library to operate a bookmobile due to the rural geography of our state. New Mexico is the fifth largest state, ranked 36th in population and 46th in population density with an average of 15 people per square mile. The Rural Services Program for the NM State Library receives federal support through IMLS – Library Services Technology Act, State of NM and various counties, towns and villages throughout New Mexico.

Regularly, during my travels on Rural Bookmobile East based out of Tucumcari, NM, library patrons will come on the rural bookmobile and then exclaim, “Gee Whiz, I left my reading glasses at home (usually back at their ranch quite a distance from the bookmobile stop). In an effort to better serve our patrons, I searched around my ranch house and brought a few pairs of reading glasses for those patrons. Now, I keep 175 and 200 on the bookmobile so they can select their own books. Perhaps others will donate some reading glasses.

~”Jill” in NM”

**If you are interested in donating reading glasses to this cause, please send an email to info@merrylibrarian.com with the subject “Reading Glasses.”