Capitan NM: Library Struggles To Raise Construction Funds [Archive]

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05-01-2007, 06:44 PM

<div align="center">Capitan Villagers Join Hands To Raise Funds
As Lincoln County’s 2nd Public Library Prepares To Grow... AGAIN!
By Steppin' Out's Lincoln County Reporter <center><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/IMG_4315_logo.jpg border=1 align=center alt="Capitan Public Library Needs Your Help!"></center></div>

April 30, 2007 - Back in August of 1996, a dedicated group of citizens in Capitan, New Mexico decided their community needed a Public Library. In those days the only library in Lincoln County was located 25 miles away in the City of Ruidoso. But in the dog days of that long hot summer, someone in the village of Capitan had enough vision to suggest what must have sounded like a crazy dream at the time -- that Capitan should have a library of its own. With that crazy dream to guide them and a lot of hard work by dozens of volunteers, the Capitan Public Library gradually became a reality. <img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/IMG_4313_web.jpg border=1 hspace=3 align=right alt="Capitan Library Deserves Your Support!"><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/IMG_4314_web.jpg border=1 hspace=3 align=left alt="The Library still needs to raise over $200,000...">The library's first home was the front porch of a private residence and its collection consisted of just a few boxes of donated books. Later, when a building became available, the dedicated group of library volunteers somehow found the rent money and suddenly the fledgling library had a modest home of its own. That first rental was a storefront with just 1000 square feet of space. As you might guess, the volume of book donations grew rapidly and soon the library outgrew the new space. Despite all that growth, money was still short at times. As a result, more than once the library volunteers paid the utility and phone bills out of their own pockets. Over time the volunteers managed to incorporate the library, won tax-exempt status and became a state recognized full-service public library. But that milestone cut both ways; because non-profit institutions are not eligible for state financial support. Along the way numerous fundraisers helped the library pay the rent and utilities. In December of 2000, a generous patron gave the library a major donation which for the first time enabled the Board of Directors to buy a building to house the library. The new building more than doubled the library’s available space and the seller generously agreed to carry the mortgage – thus reducing the costs of the purchase. After months of renovation, the staff finally moved the library to its new home in April 2001. With a mortgage and larger utility bills, the library’s dedicated staff of volunteers increased fundraising events and began to search for grants. Grants obtained over the years since have enabled the library to automate the collection, provide children’s books, create special programs for kids and adults, add a new roof on the porch area, add a free public computer center -- and install wireless Internet services too. Each year the New Mexico State Library provides a collection grant and both the Village of Capitan and Lincoln County have chipped in as well by providing annual stipends plus other valuable support and assistance along the way. <img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/IMG_4316_web.jpg border=1 hspace=3 align=right alt="Current Capitan Library Lobby">Fast forward now to the year 2006. The library’s collection had continued to grow and by that point the shelves were so filled with books that the staff embarked on a project to remove some seldom read titles from their shelves and sell them as part of an effort to raise funds for – you guessed it – yet another Library expansion project! By then the Capitan Library already had over 12,000 titles in its collection. Clearly its roots were now deeply planted in the fast-growing Village of Capitan. Today, no one can knows for sure whether the library's growth spurred the village's expansion or whether the cause and effect were the other way around. But it's easy to see that during these years when the library has grown so rapidly so has the Village of Capitan. It seems likely future village historians may point to the opening of the Library as a key factor in spurring Capitan's recent growth. The new expansion project is the young library’s most audacious growth plan yet. Their goal is to raise $350,000 to build and furnish a large new addition which will again more than double the library’s available space. An architect was hired and plans were created to build the addition next to the existing library building. An inaugural auction which raised $17,000 for the construction project was held last August. Today, a large red and white thermometer sits in front of the library building. It is designed to reflect the progress they’ve made towards their $350,000 goal. <img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/IMG_4317_web.jpg border=1 hspace=3 align=left alt="The Library's shelves are crowded.">The results so far have been very encouraging. In December 2006, the library received a $25,000 no-strings-attached grant from the Daniels Fund with a second $25,000 offered as a challenge grant that the library would receive once it matched that amount in its own fund raising efforts. After Library board president, Pat Sullivan, challenged the staff and board to match the grant, the matching funds were raised within a month! Many citizens also contributed to the fundraising in addition to generous contributions from members of the library staff and board. According to Pat Garret, spokesperson for the Library, as of April 20, 2007 the Library had raised $140,000 towards its $350,000 construction fund goal. Groundbreaking ceremonies are expected to take place in May but as of this writing, no date has been confirmed. Meanwhile both the library board and staff and various local groups are planning a series of fund-raising events this summer, fall and winter in support of the Library Construction Fund. The upcoming local fund-raisers which have offered to donate part or all of the funds they raise to support the Library Expansion Project include:<blockquote> 1. Smokey Bear Days & Library Plant and Garden sale - May 4 - 5 2. Taste of Capitan June 9 3. Library Hot Dog/Bake/Book sale in July 4. Western Art Show in September 5. Library Holiday Bazaar and Cowboy Santa Parade in December </blockquote><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/IMG_4319_web.jpg border=1 hspace=3 align=right alt="Capitan Library Porch & Computer Center">In addition to the above projects, the library opened the “Not 2 Shabby Thrift Shop” this year. The building is leased to the library by the Village of Capitan for $1 a year. In return, the shop provides clothing and household items to needy families, participates in Coats for Kids and assists the Ft. Stanton adult detainees with clothing, etc. when they are released. The shop is already raising an average of $900 a month to support library operations. Library Spokesperson Pat Garrett also pointed out that there may well be other fundraising project in the works which the library board and staff are not aware of. Clearly, the Capitan Library Board, and the community at large are working hard to achieve their goal of building Lincoln County’s 2nd major public library. In less than 11 years someone’s ‘crazy dream’ has grown from a few boxes of books on a front porch to become one of the largest and most widely supported institutions in Lincoln County. Heaven knows where this young and struggling but growing-like-a-weed library will be a decade from now. But two things are certain. First, you can bet Capitan’s Library will grow bigger and stronger with each passing year. Second, nine years from now, it’s reasonable to expect the Capitan Public Library may be preparing to expand again! <img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/IMG_4318_web.jpg border=1 hspace=3 align=left alt="Capitan Library Childrens Room">So if you have time this summer to travel over to Lincoln County, you at least know that the funds being raised by events around Capitan will all be going to a great cause. In mentioning that we should point out that Smokey Bear Days will be happening in Capitan on the May 4th and 5th weekend. For more info about that event, <a href=http://sonewmex.com/modules.php?name=News&file=showarticle&threadid=1709>see Steppin Out’s article about Smokey Bear Days here</a>. For more information about the library, <a href=http://www.capitanlibrary.org/>visit their website</a> or contact Pat Garrett at 505-354-3035. Also if you know of a Corporation, Foundation or individual that has a good heart and a pot of gold sitting around that they don’t know what to do with, you now know about a very worthy cause that definitely could and would make great use of such a windfall. So, please don’t hesitate to put in a good word for the Capitan Public Library Expansion Project. Clearly, they both need and deserve all the help they can get. Steppin’ Out looks forward to seeing you at the dedication of Capitan’s new Public Library addition. Until then, keep reading!