Esther Bone Memorial Library - Rio Rancho, NM

In January, my wife and I traveled to Rio Rancho, NM, for the celebration of her father’s 88th birthday. While we were there, I wanted to make a point of visiting the library nearest my in-laws’ home, the Esther Bone Memorial Library. During a Christmas visit in 2018, we visited the newest library in Rio Rancho, the Loma Colorado Library, which is set off by itself on a hillside with a stunning view of the Sandia Mountains (see my blog post for that visit HERE).

The Esther Bone Memorial Library is located a little west of the busy intersection of Southern Blvd. SE and Pat D’Arco Highway in an area of businesses and homes. This building was built in 1992 and named in memory of Esther Bone, Professor Emerita in Library Administration, Kent State University Library, who as a volunteer was instrumental in getting a NM state grant to support a library in Rio Rancho and who then served as the first paid librarian in the city until shortly before her death in 1982. The Loma Colorado Library became the main library when it opened in 2006. The Esther Bone Memorial Library was closed for a complete refurbishing at that time and reopened in 2008.

We arrived at this library in the afternoon (on Tuesday, Jan. 21) after a fantastic lunch of green chile cheeseburgers and fries at the Blake's Lotaburger location in the Old Town section of Albuquerque and then stop along the way to visit the Corrales Community Library to the east of Rio Rancho. My blog post of that visit is HERE. The photos below are a repeat from that blog post.

When I introduced myself at the circulation desk and explained about how I was visiting libraries and blogging about my visits, I received a warm welcome from Ann McGinley, the Library Branch Manager, and she proceeded to give me an enthusiastic tour of the library, starting at the photograph of Esther Bone with an explanation of some of the library’s history. We then proceeded to the children’s area of the library—a large, inviting area with child-friendly bookshelves, various computer stations for kids, and lots of windows. (Unfortunately my one photo of the curved, mirrored panels suspended over the full area ended up blurred.)

Two more detailed photos of parts of the children’s area turned out much better.

Ann McGinley pointed out a corner of the children’s area highlighting a local author, Andrew Clements. She also called my attention to the library mascot, the armored Sir Reads-a-lot, who “hangs out” over the children’s area.

The computer stations for adults are in the center of the library near the circulation desk, and the shelves for adult books are on the far side along with shelves for DVDs, audiobooks, and recorded music.

Beyond the bookshelves, there’s a quiet area with shelves for periodicals, comfortable chairs, as well as a display highlighting works by a local artist, Monte Yellow Bird, Sr.

The library’s Teen Area is a bright space in the far corner of the library set off by bookshelves that offers comfortable seating, several computer stations, and a nice collection of teen fiction and nonfiction. Just past the shelves of Graphic Novels are two small study rooms.

When I asked Ann McGinley about storytimes in the children’s area, she said there was a separate room down the hallway beside the Friends of the Library book sales room, which is also used for classes and meetings. (Their storytime carpet is rolled up along the wall in the picture below.)

Not being a New Mexico resident, I couldn’t check out any library books at either the Corrales Community Library or here in Rio Rancho. But somehow I felt I needed to wrap up my two library visits with a new book. So I spent some time browsing in The Friendship and ended up buying The Kid by one of my all-time favorite authors, Ron Hansen.  (Atticus by him is the only book I've ever finished and then immediately re-read.)

Before I ended the visit, I had a nice discussion with Ann McGinley about the variety of programs the library had planned for February—from “What You Need to Know about CBD and Medical Cannabis” to “AARP Smart Driver” to “Earworms: Album Listening Event” focusing on U2’s “The Joshua Tree” and Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.” I was especially intrigued by their “Library Card Design Contest” giving library patrons the opportunity to design a limited edition library card for the Rio Rancho Public Libraries.  (A big thank-you to Library Branch Manager Ann McGinley for her hospitality and tour!)