(Silver City, NM) – Thanks to significant ongoing financial support from their Foundation, the Silver City Public Library is in the process of implementing major building upgrades. On March 20, the library completed the replacement of flooring in the large meeting room and the staff work room area. The large meeting room's carpet, installed 13 years ago, has been replaced with vinyl flooring. "The new flooring in the meeting room looks great, and it will be much easier to clean," said Lillian Galloway, library assistant director. "Many of our children's activities happen in that space, so easy clean up after crafts is helpful."
New tables and chairs for the large meeting room offer easier rearrangement of the space for all the widely-varying activities that take place there. The tables are on wheels and tilt up for storage. The chairs are stackable.
Soon, several interior doors will be replaced. The new doors will improve functionality, visibility, and acoustics. Doors for the large and small meeting rooms and for two staff areas will have glass panels. "The new doors are also meant to reduce sound carrying through the library," said Galloway.
In the past two years, the Public Library Foundation has also funded new tables and storage for the craft room area, which opened to the public permanently in spring 2025. This area is connected to the children's area, and offers extra opportunities for families to play and do hands-on activities whenever they visit, even when library events are not scheduled.
The library's exterior doors were replaced in 2020, also using funding from the Foundation. Wood and metal doors were replaced with glass, and automatic door openers were installed. This greatly improved accessibility to the building.
Other past Foundation-funded projects include a re-roof in 2019, solar panels installation in 2020, and the teen area in 2019.
The Library Foundation and the Friends of the Library are separate non-profit entities dedicated to supporting the Silver City Public Library.
"The library also gains huge benefits from the support of the Friends of the Library, who have funded so many activities, services, and operational needs over the years," explained Galloway. Friends of the Library funding provides all the craft supplies, kits, and tech learning tools used in the library children's activities. Families use Friends-funded craft supplies in the craft room every day. The Friends fund the entire Summer Reading Program. Friends funding enhances events for adults by bringing in musicians for concerts and allowing the library to have a business-level web meeting account for virtual attendance at events and meetings. The library uses Friends funding for supplies like printer toner and book processing supplies when other funding sources are exhausted.
"Compiling a full list of the ways that the Library Foundation and Friends of the Library have supported us would be very difficult, because their support has touched so many aspects of what we do," said Galloway. "The library extends heartfelt thanks to these community-driven, volunteer-led organizations. We are excited for the future!"
Visit the library online at www.silvercitypubliclibrary.org. For more information, contact the library at 575-538-3672 or
