Visiting a wide variety of public libraries has become one of my great pleasures of living in New Mexico. Unlike most states, residents may get library privileges throughout the state, not just in their immediate communities and home counties. Let's visit some research collections that preserve the voices of New Mexicans, their history, literature, and culture.
Revisiting the Santa Fe Southwest Reading Room
I previously profiled the downtown branch of the Santa Fe Public Library in an April 2025 post. Before featuring the Special Collections Library in Albuquerque, I want to share a little more about this amazing resource in the state's capital city. Although I live 50 miles from this library, I conveniently use Rail Runner to visit Santa Fe on a regular basis.
I have attended programs and reviewed the microfilm collections at the Santa Fe Public Library's downtown branch. However, my favorite place in the building is a grand yet silent space, the Southwest Reading Room.
Two major collections coexist in this cavernous room: A circulating collection of regionally focused books and publications about the American Southwest, as well as rare and specialized materials in locked cases. The specialized materials include city directories, government documents, rare books, and similar items.
My experience in the Santa Fe Public Library is similar to other public libraries in New Mexico. Staff and volunteers are incredibly helpful, enjoy sharing knowledge of their collections, and offer programs that appeal to a broad population.
The Special Collections Library in Albuquerque
A century ago, residents celebrated the opening of a new public library at the corner of Central Avenue (historic US Route 66) and Edith Boulevard NE. This structure is located at 423 Central Avenue NE, on the eastern side of downtown in the Huning Highlands Historic District, a short distance from the Alvarado Transportation Center (the Rail Runner depot) and a block east of the historic "old" 1914 Albuquerque High School (now converted into lofts).
Once the site of an earlier campus of Albuquerque High School, this Pueblo/Spanish Revival building served as the city's main public library for a half-century. Additions expanded the space in 1947 and 1950. Fifty years after opening, this library closed for a period of time as the collections moved to a "new" main branch a short distance away.
The building experienced significant renovations in 1977, reopening as the City of Albuquerque's "Special Collections Library, New Mexico History and Archives." A century after opening, this beautiful library continues to serve New Mexicans as a publicly-funded archive and community resource.
Today, visitors to the Special Collections Library enter a very comfortable space. A professionally staffed reference desk provides access to collections in secure spaces, including an extensive local history book and periodical collection that also covers other areas of New Mexico and the Southwest.
Computers provide online access for library patrons. However, the majority of the public space includes tables and reading areas for those who come to this building to use the physical collections. Librarians at the service desk provide access to materials in secure areas, including rare books and manuscript collections.
A variety of books, maps, documents, and other materials reside in an open-access area. Patrons seeking general information on local history and popular titles may consult these collections without staff assistance. The map and vertical file collections allow visitors to trace the growth of the city.
In addition to The Center for the Book, the Special Collections Library offers a regular lecture series in Botts Hall, an auditorium within the building. The "Ever Changing, Ever Growing" conversation series provides programs that talk about Albuquerque and New Mexico, focusing on the area's diversity and the resilience of the people who live here.
Dedicated in March 1951, Botts Memorial Hall has been a community gathering place for nearly 75 years. Programs include lectures and discussions that focus on New Mexican history and culture.
Albuquerque's Current Main Library
In addition to the Old Main Library featured above, a second substantial public library is available for downtown researchers in Albuquerque. Located at 501 Copper Avenue NW, the Main Branch and flagship library is approximately seven-tenths of a mile to the west of the Special Collections Library.
The city maintains 18 libraries throughout the city, as well as East Mountain branch in Tijeres. Each library maintains smaller specialized collections. All of these libraries have Spanish language materials, along with other items that focus on various communities within Bernalillo County.
A Carnegie Treasure: Viva la biblioteca de Las Vegas!
Located in north-central New Mexico, Las Vegas serves as the seat of San Miguel County. Among the community's many notable historic structures, the Carnegie Library occupies a prominent place on the city's history and physcial landscape. Built in 1904, this structure continues to serve as the public library for Las Vegas, designed to resemble Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.
A future blog post will offer vivid images of historic architecture in Las Vegas. Nearly 90 properties within the city appear on the National Register of Historic Places. This building became part of the National Register when the Library Park Historic District was added in March 1979.
More Libraries on the Horizon
Future blog posts will highlight other libraries, museums, and research facilities throughout the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico takes pride in offering statewide library services to its residents, something not common in some other parts of the country.
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