Fund rural library endowment, and invest in N.M.

Magdalena library Director Ivy Stover teaches a computer coding class for ages 5-14, sponsors an adult book club and does story time and arts and crafts for schoolchildren. She develops the library’s book collection, manages its history museum, writes grants, does facility management and more.

Stover has a master’s in library science. She is paid $12 per hour. Half her monthly salary doesn’t cover her student loan payment. She lives with her parents. She loves her job and community, but her situation is not sustainable. The average salary for an MLS library director nationwide is about $70,000 per year.

Stover says it is not the village’s fault it can’t pay her more. The commercial sector is too small to provide a sufficient tax base.

It’s common in New Mexico that rural library directors make between $12 to $15 per hour. From Clayton to Lordsburg, Fort Sumner to Tularosa, and Questa to Gila, dedicated directors educate and help solve problems for their communities but don’t make a living wage.

They deserve professional salaries. Their villages deserve well-paying jobs. The state needs to step up.

Rural libraries are crucial tools to sustain their communities. They usually provide their villages’ only free internet and community gathering space. They help with disaster relief, economic development, all-ages education, child well-being and cultural preservation. We should support organizations that work.

In a bipartisan vote, the state Legislature established a rural library endowment in 2019. The goal is a $1 million endowment for each of 50 libraries in unincorporated towns, villages and pueblos. With a fully funded endowment, each library would receive about $45,000 per year. It currently holds $13 million. An additional $37 million is needed.

This year Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is requesting $15 million. There will be over $3 billion in reserves, the “rainy day fund.” It’s pouring in rural New Mexico now. Small towns are hemorrhaging population, partly due to the lack of good jobs. This relatively small investment in communities throughout the state would have a huge impact.

Please contact the Governor’s Office and your legislative representatives to request full funding for the rural library endowment. You may view a short trailer about an upcoming film highlighting the work of New Mexico’s rural libraries here: vimeo.com/763849930. It includes Ivy Stover in action in Magdalena.