The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library Advisory Board has raised $925,000 in pledges from state, city and county officials to replace the Main Library’s 50-year-old heating and cooling system, bypassing traditional district boundaries. The board still needs $1.6 million to reach its $2.5 million goal.
The 100,000-square-foot downtown library relies on a 1975 “air handler” system that leaves some rooms freezing while others swelter. Board Chair Janet Saiers said she recently sat in a meeting in a very cold room because the thermostat wasn’t responding.
“The 50-year-old downtown Main Library is important to every person in Bernalillo County,” Saiers said. “We want it to be open six days a week to serve them.”
The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library System serves more than 650,000 residents and circulates roughly 4 million items annually, making it the largest public library system in New Mexico. Saiers said the aging heating and cooling system affects daily operations, patron comfort and the safety of vulnerable visitors, underscoring the urgency of the funding campaign.
The library houses the genealogy center and coordinates staff who repair computers across all 19 branches. It also hosts the Friends of the Library book donation program, which raises more than $100,000 annually for children’s summer reading programs. The building also serves as a refuge for unhoused residents seeking relief from extreme heat or cold, according to Saiers.
Securing funds for maintenance is an uphill battle. The advisory board has cobbled together its $925,000 campaign by reaching out directly to state senators, representatives and city councilors. Board members say projects like HVAC repairs and roof replacements often fall to the bottom of funding priorities because they lack the political excitement of groundbreaking ceremonies for new facilities.
“Libraries are free, and they’re a key part of having an educated citizenry and a democracy that works,” Saiers said.
The $925,000 in pledges includes $700,000 from 10 state legislators, $125,000 from two city councilors and $100,000 from three county commissioners. Councilor Joaquin Baca pledged $100,000 from his capital set-aside funds. His District 2 includes four library branches: South Broadway, Main, Special Collections and Los Griegos.
State legislators contributing include Sens. Debbie O’Malley, Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, Harold Pope and Rep. Eleanor Chavez, with others bringing the total to $700,000. City council contributions include $100,000 from Baca and $25,000 from Renée Grout. County commissioners contributing include Barbara Baca and two others totaling $100,000.
Baca said committing substantial city funds helps convince state legislators the project will get done.
“My experience going up to Santa Fe is they want to see that it’s a project that’s actually going to get done,” he said. “Committing a slightly higher dollar amount shows good faith on our part that we’re committed to getting it finished.”
State capital outlay funds would become available by late summer. Saiers said residents can contact their elected officials to voice support for the project.
“Our libraries are critical to a healthy community,” Baca said. “Anything we can do to take care of those.”
