Small libraries in New Mexico's remote towns and villages are now becoming true community service centers. In addition to lending books, several are providing computers, Wi-Fi access, and a landline phone for their far-flung patrons. Libraries in Vallecitos, El Rito, Embudo, Talpa, Abiquiu, Magdalena, and many more hope our Legislature will establish a modest endowment to help these now-lively community centers stay alive and improve their service to rural families across the state. A recent front-page feature by Megan Bennett in the Albuquerque Journal North tells more, including support from State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino.

> > RELATED NEWS ARTICLE: RURAL LIBRARIES PUSH FOR PERMANENT FUNDING
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Special sponsors for this event were Casa Snapdragon Press, Art Academy de los Ninos and Collected Works Bookstore. A special thank you to them!

Another special guest present was Jim Mafchir, former longtime board member, New Mexico Book Association past president, and the founder of our Southwest Book Design Award contest.

Menu fare was a Mexican buffet of cheese and chicken enchiladas, a taco bar, salad, iced tea, coffee, and a cash bar. A special cake noting the 25th anniversary was served for dessert. There were no complaints about the food or the program. A big success and great celebration was had by all.

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Our speaker for our December 14th luncheon at Tiny’s will be Sandi Wright. She will talk about how to write and illustrate successful children’s storybooks.

Sandi is an award-winning children’s book author, former president of the Santa Fe Opera Guild, co-founder of the nation’s first camp for brain-damaged kids, a 30-year art instructor for public, private, and college institutions, and director of two art schools.  She divides her time between writing, painting, and her art therapy practice.

She will also discuss marketing techniques for those attending who are not interested in writing books for kids.

Approaching the 25th Anniversary of NMBA, Richard Polese was asked to share our history and progress through the years at the November 9 Networking Luncheon. Richard served as President, then Executive Director during our first decade. He is now our Historian and keeper of archives.
 
Pouring though Libro Book News of those times, he discovered that many of our current programs and services began during the earliest years. As well, Barbara Beasley Murphy and Elaine Coleman held early NMBA Board offices (treasurer, secretary) and both continue to be active with NMBA today.
 
We started as the Rocky Mountain Book Publishers Association (RMBPA), a gathering of publishers in Northern New Mexico and up through Denver. Then came the respected Guadalajara Book Fair in 1994, with New Mexico chosen as its “Guest Country.” They needed a solid “national” book nonprofit, so we gathered in Santa Fe and became the New Mexico Book Association. RMBPA continued as a partner and later became Publishers Association of the West (PubWest), now centered in Oregon.
 
Richard was surprised to find that our Second Friday Networking Luncheons began in April 1995, and continue to this day. Membership has been $50 annually from the start. Libro Book News first appeared in April 1995. Libro’s first masthead sported our distinctive Zia Sun symbol, with unfolding book pages taking the place of sun rays. That very year we cosponsored the Border Book Festival in Mesilla and were in the aisle at the American Book Sellers Association Convention in Chicago. The ABA Convention later became BookExpo America. Your NMBA reps have been a bookselling presence in several national and regional shows since.
 
NMBA published three comprehensive editions of New Mexico’s Book World from 1997 through 2006. They described publishers, booksellers, distributors, libraries, and printers, as well as editors and designers serving in our state. Did you know that writing and publishing have been a strong element in New Mexico’s story for over four centuries? The first was Gaspar de Villagra’s “Historia de la Nueva Mexico.” It appeared in 1598 and remains in print today from UNM Press.
 
Our Book-in-Hand Honor was first presented in 1998 to the Collected Works Bookstore and staff. Richard Harris became NMBA President in 2000 and served for years. He is honored today in the Harris Award program that supplies standout Southwestern classics to deserving schools and libraries.
 
In 2002 NMBA helped Cadelora Versace produce Southwest Bookviews, a fine regional book review journal. That same year we landed at Tiny’s Restaurant for the first time. We’ve gathered there for our popular monthly Networking Luncheons nearly every month since, thanks to the generous welcome by owner J. R. Palermo and his staff.
 
In 2004 Cinny Green and Maureen Burdock took the helm of Libro, we had a table at BookExpo again in Chicago, and our first FlashNews appeared in every NMBA member’s inbox. That same year NMBA gained a large office and meeting space on Santa Fe’s Second Street. We had many happy beginnings in those first years and most continue to serve to this day.
 
Richard will share the lively second half of our history at NMBA’s Winter Fiesta in January.

TEN NMBA AUTHORS turned up to introduce their titles and yours to the state’s librarians for three days as October leapt into November at the NMLA Annual Conference. Sales will be reported soon to members whose titles were seen and sold there at our tables in Albuquerque’s Marriott Pyramid Hotel.
             
Janet and Erin Brennan, Patricia Brown, Jared Gann, David Froebel, Laurie McDonald, Larry Kemp, Roberta Parry, Barbara Jean Ruther, and Sandi Wright all came aboard — giving us a great presence during all three days. You see here most of us in this view of our place provided by Sandi. (Let me know if you were left out!)
 
Our location in the main hall was less than ideal, but we innovated to help draw library people to us as they went in and out of the conference sessions.
 
We learned that next year the annual gathering of New Mexico’s librarians will move to the Albuquerque Hotel in Old Town. It will be joined there by the annual meeting of the widespread Mountains and Plains Library Association.

Now is the time to get involved! The board is hard at work with the planning of not only regular annual events but also new opportunities. We’re currently looking for members who would be interested in joining the board as Secretary or Treasurer. Let us know if you’re interested. Contact Sandi Wright for details: (505) 473-3003, sandi@sandi-wright.com

PHOTOS BELOW

Four book champions received special attention for outstanding service to readers statewide and to our professional book family at the June 7 Annual Membership Gala.
 
Two Book-in-Hand Honors were presented, first to Patricia Hodapp, who has served all book readers as Santa Fe’s innovative public library director for 14 years. Pat is the first librarian in our state to receive this coveted honor. 
 
Radio broadcast host Richard Eeds received a Book-in-Hand for his outstanding interviews with book authors and publishers on KTRC in Santa Fe. (You are seeing here pictures of both Pat and Richard with honors in hand.)
 
Our gathering was at the gracious home of Barbara Beasley Murphy, who received our Special Recognition for her 28 years of happy and devoted service to NMBA and its goals. Barbara brought the New Mexico Book Association into being at the 1994 Guadalajara Book Fair. She was NMBA’s treasurer for most of its existence. Paula Lozar stepped forward with dedicated leadership in her role as NMBA president and then acting president during the dynamic and challenging past five years. We were proud to recognize Paula for her many exceptional contributions.
 
NMBA membership reelected Janet Brennan, Jared Gann, and Sandi Wright to serve on the board of directors for three more years. Your board then decided to choose new officers at the July board meeting, right after the Friday, July 13, networking luncheon at Tiny's Restaurant. Names have come up for key positions. You will learn who will be serving and leading our programs in next month’s Libro Nuevo!