Library Manager Gwen Kalavaza

COUNTY News:

The Los Alamos County Library Board’s July meeting featured a presentation by Library Manager Gwen Kalavaza on the planned outdoor classroom. The proposed design is a lightly developed, ADA-accessible outdoor space for the area between the Mesa Public Library and Betty Ehart Senior Center.

With a covered platform and built-in seating, it will help diversify the programs and events offered to the public by the Library and Senior Center, as well as provide opportunities for collaboration with other community organizations.

The design presented at the meeting incorporates community feedback obtained from listening sessions, a community survey, and other input from the public. The Library Board unanimously supported the outdoor classroom design.

In the Manager’s Report, the Board was notified of a recent addition to the Mesa Public Library – a bike rack and bike repair station. These can be found near the outdoor loan lockers and are available for anyone to use. There are plans to install a similar bike repair station at the White Rock Branch Library soon.

Another update from the meeting came from the Board’s liaison to the Friends of Los Alamos County Libraries (FLACL). FLACL is partnering with ThriftBooks to sell withdrawn and discarded library books as a new source of revenue. All profits from sales are donated back to the County libraries.

The next Library Board meeting is Sept. 8 at White Rock Town Hall. Direct questions or suggestions to the Library Board at lb@lacnm.us. This email will reach all board members: Chair Beth Stelle, Vice Chair Michele Altherr and members Frances Knudson, Brian Reardon and Sarah Work.