Over the weekend, the Artesia Public Library (APL) continued the MARCHiversary celebration with a few programmed events and the dedication of Peggy’s Placita, an area of the library which now bears the name of Peggy Swafford, who previously worked for the library for 50 years.
The dedication of Peggy’s Placita was followed by a reception attended by Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Youtsey; the architect who designed the library, Jose Zelaya; Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Hayley Klein; the APL staff; the Friends of the Library; members of the Library Board of Directors; and other community members.
Swafford’s involvement with the library began during her high school years, growing into full-time employment in January 1969.
“Over the years, Peggy held almost every position available,” said Library Supervisor Omar Acosta. “She worked the circulation desk, as the children’s librarian and the acquisitions librarian. When she retired in May of 2019, she held the position of technical services librarian. She continues to volunteer for us researching out-of-town requests, and we are very grateful for her continued help and support.”
Swafford’s dedication to growing the library into a facility that makes knowledge accessible to all set an example the current library staff is working to mirror and improve. During the reception, Adult Services Librarian Wendy Kilpatrick closed her speech with a challenge: “Let’s not celebrate just the building’s anniversary but a decade of empowerment, enlightenment and community spirit. Our library is a living legacy — a testament to the power of a collective vision. As we cut the celebratory cake today, let us also cut through barriers and limitations. Let us continue to write the story of our library, one chapter at a time.”
Kilpatrick, Acosta and others followed these words with actions. In the short time surrounding speeches and dedications, the library has hosted a self-defense seminar, a teen suncatcher making time, and a children’s bear hunt craft and adventure time, and has announced a joint effort between the APL, the Artesia Arts Council and the Arts and Cultural District that will bring a series of poetry workshops and a Beat Poetry Night to the Artesia community.
If that were not enough, plans for the Third Annual Tiny Art Show and the 2024 Summer Reading Program, themed Adventure Begins at Your Library, have been released, with details on sponsorship opportunities in the Thursday, March 28, edition of the Daily Press.
All that remains is for the residents of Artesia to walk through the doors, ready to learn something new.
To stay up to date with the events hosted by or partnered with the APL, visit the library during hours of operation, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; the library’s website, www.artesianm.gov/146/Library; or its Facebook and Instagram accounts. To learn how to become involved from home, visit the website or call the library at 575-746-4252.