Library Director’s Message

Vartan Gregorian wrote, “Libraries are the critical component in the free exchange of information, which lies at the heart of our democracy. [Libraries] hold our nation’s heritage, the heritage of humanity, the record of its triumphs and failures, and of its intellectual, scientific, and artistic achievements. In both the actual and symbolic sense, the library is the guardian of freedom of thought and freedom of choice, standing as a bulwark for the public against manipulation by various demagogues.”

La Plata County is fortunate to have five exceptional public libraries, which freely provide information through educational materials, community programing, physical and digital resources, and the internet. Our dedicated staff members work diligently to serve all who make the time to stop by.

Our libraries are funded by local property tax mill levies. Our libraries also receive support from the Colorado State Library. This support strengthens our libraries and provides services that local libraries by themselves cannot.

In addition to library leadership and professional development training for public and school libraries, the Colorado State Library provides library materials and staff for 52 state institutions and facilities. It has digitized and archived many local publications to create the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. The State Library hosts many library and museum websites, and assists libraries in developing and conducting research and related projects.

By circulating free audio, braille, and large print books via the Talking Book Library, the State Library assists those unable to read standard print. Colorado State Library personnel oversee statewide interlibrary loan, and circulate book club collections and exceptional resource kits to local libraries. They also assist with literacy programs for toddlers, students and adults, and for English language learners.

Providing these beneficial services requires funding. The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) is federal legislation that supports the distribution of federal funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to state library agencies based on population. State libraries use grant money from LSTA to support state and local initiatives. Each state determines how best to use the funding and states are not obligated to follow federal mandates. States are required, however, to provide additional state funding for library services. Currently, LSTA provides roughly 60% of the Colorado State Library’s operational budget, with the State of Colorado providing the remaining 40 percent.

Unfortunately, the federal act which provides this funding, the Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA), will sunset on September 30, 2025. Your support for the reauthorization of this act will allow our libraries to continue to play their vital role: enriching our communities, sparking creativity, preserving our shared history, and providing access to learning and resources for all. Additionally, support for this act will aid La Plata County’s many unique museums. Please take a moment to reach out to your federal senators or representative through a quick phone call or email and ask them to support the renewal of the Museum and Library Services Act. Together we can keep our cultural and educational spaces alive and thriving.

Representative Jeff Hurd’s Durango office phone number is 970-317-6167. Senator Michael Bennet’s Durango office phone number is 970-259-1710. Senator John Hickenlooper’s Durango office phone number is 970-880-7236.

Can you believe that Durango School District 9R has hosted public libraries for almost half-a-century? In 1981, in conjunction with the expansion of Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School, the Fort Lewis Mesa Public Library was created as a branch of the Durango Public Library system. Similarly, in 1999, in conjunction with the expansion of Sunnyside Elementary School, the Sunnyside Public Library was created. Both libraries had public librarians, provided by Durango Public Library and paid for by the La Plata County government. Both libraries also had Masters-level teacher-librarians, provided by and paid for by Durango School District 9R.

Unfortunately, less than twenty years later, budget constraints and shifting priorities eroded this exemplary educational pillar. At the same time, county officials had difficult budget decisions to make. As a result, two of the existing, functioning libraries in our county were about to close permanently.

SWLPLD is indebted to Dan Snowberger and the 9R administration who generously utilized grant money to keep the Fort Lewis Mesa and Sunnyside libraries operating, while concerned citizens, many of whom now lead the library district as board members, worked to create the Southwest La Plata Library District.

In addition to those board members, community members who recognized the value of our community libraries helped gather signatures, financially support the district’s campaign efforts and in many other ways laid the foundation of our library district. Among those remarkable library supporters were Helen Ruth Aspaas, Barbara Harris, Amanda McKown, with her dedicated daughters Julia and Eva, Dr. Kim Yeargin, Nycole Eoff, and Dr. Alana Ostrander.

In November 2018, voters graciously approved the formation and funding of the new library district, and in January 2019 service to the Fort Lewis Mesa and Sunnyside communities and schools continued under the guidance of the new organization. Unfortunately, financial difficulties continued to plague the district, as mil levy funding would not be distributed until 2020. We are grateful to the La Plata County commissioners, the Ballantine Family Fund, and La Plata Electric Association for providing stopgap funding to keep the library district running through 2019.

Everyone mentioned above, and many others, poured tangible resources and sacrificed time and effort into this labor of love. Specifically, I would like to express my appreciation for Roy Horvath and his efforts throughout this process. I value his devotion, his commitment and his consistency. He has the ability to work with everyone, dream big and make possibilities realities. His leadership as board chair will be greatly missed at the conclusion of his second term in January.

Finally, I am grateful to our library patrons. From our youngest “Wee Read” toddlers, to our weekly school visitors, our homeschoolers, our teens, their parents, grandparents, and all our community members: Thank you for allowing us the opportunity and responsibility of serving you. We hope you will always feel welcome at our libraries and that you find the information, resources and camaraderie you seek. Your vibrant presence in the library proves our value to the community.

Warmly,

Rebecca Benally
Southwest La Plata Library District Director

Welcome to your library!  Whether you enjoy the Sunnyside Library or the Fort Lewis Mesa Library, please know we are thrilled to serve you and invite you to everything the Southwest La Plata Library District offers. 

The libraries of the Southwest La Plata Library District exist to strengthen our communities by providing access to information and ideas while encouraging imagination and personal growth.  We hope to have something for everyone—engaging programming, wonderful books, and warm, welcoming meeting places.  If you can’t find what you are looking for, just ask a member of our friendly, talented staff.  Through our affiliation with the Colorado Library Consortium, we can provide you access to over 1.7 million items and a continuously growing collection!

You, our library users, are at the center of everything we do.  Please take a moment to complete our Community Survey so that we can provide you with the services you want most.   As your library director, I am grateful for your support.  I’m grateful for The Friends of the SWLPLD and all they do for our libraries.  I’m also grateful for our amazing staff and our dedicated board of trustees who work tirelessly to ensure the needs of our communities are met to the greatest extent possible.  

 I look forward to seeing you at the library.

Warmly,

Rebecca Benally
Southwest La Plata Library District Director