Our Mission
The mission of the Santa Fe Public Library is to inform, enrich, and educate the members of the community by creating and promoting access to a diversity of ideas and information, and by supporting lifelong learning and reading. In accomplishing its mission, the library honors the community’s unique cultural heritage and traditions, while preparing its community members for the future.
Contact the Library Division Director
Margaret Neill can be contacted by email at mmneill@santafenm.gov or by phone at (505) 955-6788.
Our History
A Brief History of Santa Fe Public Library
Established by the Santa Fe Women’s Board of Trade in 1893, the first library was originally located at the old First National Bank Building, before moving to what was then the Territorial Army’s barracks building in 1896. The Women’s Board of Trade also renamed themselves to better suit their mission, becoming the Women’s Board of Trade and Library Association around the same time.
The library opened with 400 items (donated and purchased) and a reading room. The first librarian and her assistant lived in the barracks, receiving free room and board, but were unpaid. In 1903, the Territorial Legislature gave the Board a parcel of land on Washington Avenue. After tireless fundraising teas, concerts, vaudeville shows, dances, and $1,000.00 from the Territorial Legislature, the building of a new library began and was completed in 1908. The new library, located at 120 Washington Avenue, was named the Women’s Board of Trade Library.
In 1961, the library was sold to the City of Santa Fe.
The Friends of Santa Fe Public Library was organized in 1974 to raise funds and provide volunteer support at the library. They continue in that role to this day.
By the 1980s, the library had outgrown its space at 120 Washington Avenue. The City of Santa Fe chose the old Berardinelli municipal building across the street at 145 Washington Avenue to convert into a newer, larger library.
The Berardinelli municipal building, designed by John Gaw Meem in 1936, had served as a courthouse, city hall, police and fire station. With funding from the City, the Friends, the Women’s Club and Library Association, and donors that included former Governor Bruce King and Georgia O’Keeffe, the building was completely remodeled. Library staff and around 1,000 community members formed a bucket brigade to move books across the street. The newly renovated Main Library opened to the public in January of 1987.
As the City grew, the need for library branches did as well. The Oliver La Farge Branch on Llano Street was opened in 1978, in a complex that included the Tino Griego pool and a recreation center. When it was remodeled in 1988, parts of the collection were moved to Villa Linda Mall (now Santa Fe Place) to promote better access. After the renovation was completed, the library kept the mall location, called the Bookstop Library, for many years.
Needing to expand again, after the Friends of the Library’s fundraising efforts and support from the City and State, the Southside Library opened to the public in March of 2007. The Bookstop Library at Villa Linda Mall closed in 2006 to make way for Southside Library.
In the years since, the library has continued to grow along with the community it serves. Public computers with internet access came in the early 2000s. In 2013, the library started offering e-books for checkout. Museum passes and a seed library followed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the libraries closed to the public but offered curbside services, online programs, laptops, hotspots, Wi-Fi access, and an expanded digital collection so more people could access library materials from home.
Since the pandemic, the library has continued to grow and meet the needs of the community, offering a diverse collection of programs, books, and services for all ages. In 2024, the library exceeded its pre-pandemic circulation and program attendance numbers.
The Santa Fe Public Library is looking forward with projects like the Fogelson Library assessment and planning, new programs, and services on the horizon.
References
Godfrey's Associates, Inc. (2020). Plan for a 21st Century Library System. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Godfrey's Associates, Inc. .
Harris, L. G. (1998). One Good Book at a time: The history of the library in New Mexico. Albuquerque, New Mexico: New Mexico Library Foundation.
Planners Ink. (1999). Vision 2020: Community Needs Assessment and Master Plan. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Planners Ink.
Quintana, C. (2013, January 13). Digital Titles on Demand: Santa Fe Public Library launches e-book loan system. Santa Fe New Mexican, pp. C1, C4.
Weideman, P. (2007, March 23). Art of Space. Santa Fe New Mexican: Pasa Tiempo, pp. 38-39.