Conejos County Library

In the early 1970s I ran a small lending library in an old building next door to Conejos County Gas and Oil. The Alamosa Library brought books for us to lend. I did that one day a week, for several years. Our Conejos County Commissioners decided to build a library by the LaJara High School. They asked me to be on the planning board. We worked on plans for it for several years. I went to Alamosa and prepared some of their old books to be used in our library. Now that they no longer brought books to Manassa, they sorted out many duplicates and sold them to the Conejos County, to be used in our new library along with many new books.

When they were ready to open the library, thy asked me to resign from my post on the planning board and to go to work as a librarian. I was not qualified to be the head librarian and they hired Marie Deherrera to be head librarian. I had worked in the Alamosa Library long enough to have a good understanding of the work as a librarian. Marie had not been trained in library procedure. I thaught her many things. Later our planning board members said the wished they had hired me to be head, but I was glad that they didn't, because I didn't want the responsibility. They hired Vangie, I can't think of her last name. The three of us ran the library for seven years. I loved that job. When Arlo and I were called on a mission and after he had heart surgery, we were on our mission in the Arizona, Holbrook Mission for a year, I was not at the library for that year. I returned to the library for 2 months then Arlo died. I stayed on for another year and then moved to Mesa Arizona.

Gloria and I painted a mural on the West wall of the library. Gloria is the one who knew how to pain them, but I helped. The last time I was there part of that mural was still there. They built a room on the West sided of the building and it took some of the paintings of the door.

The library was a blessing to the county. I felt that It was like my library. I put a lot into it. Arlo and I were alone and this was a blessing to both of us. I didn't make much money, but we did ok. It helped.