The Dolores Public Library celebrated 70 years on Friday with live music, cupcakes and a display of the library’s history. From its humble origins as an all volunteer, part time organization tucked in a small room in Town Hall to a fully staffed public institution in its own building, the library has grown immensely throughout its development.
“It's very significant,” Sandy Jumper, president of the library board, said. “It's a very active building that's used by the community.”
According to the exhibit in the library community room that pays homage to its history, the library opened in 1956 with two staff members and a budget of $3,900. The first librarian, Mary Lee Larson, was paid $25 a month for her role, and the library had limited operating hours – 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
The library became a district in 1986, which helped it secure funding after losing financial support from the town two years earlier. In 2001, after years of operating out of Town Hall, the library secured a land donation, hiring a team of architects to craft the building it’s in today. In 2004, it opened in this now permanent space.
Today, the library has a catalog of 22,000 items and offers children’s storytimes twice weekly, various book clubs, technology assistance, dedicated hours for different games and movie nights.
It’s because of this space that Jumper became part of the library board five years ago.
“It's just a good place to be,” Jumper said. “I was retiring, and I saw the ad on the bulletin board that they were looking for board members, and I loved the library. I have for a long time.”
The library, Jumper said, has also adapted to the shifting priorities of the digital age.
“A lot of people in the area do not have access to the internet or have computers or have a place that they can go to do research,” Jumper said. “We have computer access, we have staff that are very knowledgeable on where to look and how to find it. And so technology hasn't slowed us down any. We’ve grown with our needs.”
While the library board recently fired the library director amid both complaints and support from community members and staff, Jumper said the institution’s standing in the community has not shifted.
“There hasn’t been any slowdown,” Jumper said.
According to library employee Cheyenne Baber ,who has worked at the library for eight years, increased adult and kid programs have inspired expanded community engagement.
“When I started working here we had maybe three people coming to storytime,” Baber said.
She credits, “Ms. Hannah” also known as Hannah Carloni, with the influx of up to 100 attendees at storytime. Carloni knows each tot who comes to her readings by name and walked around the library’s celebration greeting them.
“Ms. Hannah is just a rockstar,” Baber said.
Library staff invited patrons to put their memories, photos and drawings into a time capsule to be opened in 30 years at the library’s 100th anniversary celebration, filling the metal tube with seeds, flyers for Dolores Mountain Quilters, the Galloping Goose Historical Society and KSJD as well as burnt twigs and a juniper leaf in remembrance of the ongoing Ferris Fire burning northwest of Dolores.
The festivities garnered attendees of all ages who sang a cheery “Happy Birthday” to their beloved community library.
“The library is the last remaining place where people can just come and be here,” Baber said.
She said the library staff hope the library will continue on for 70 years more.
avanderveen@the-journal.com
