Betsy McIntosh

 

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Andy R. Lopez

​The library room that is our Children's Room was originally built in the 1930s as Placitas Middle School. Later a three room WPA adobe structure was added and later a community room, kitchen space, and rest rooms. In 1969, when  students moved into  new facilities, our building housed the El Rito Headstart Program and the Rio Arriba Senior Citizens Center. On May 5, 1986, Las Clinicas del Norte Director Andy R. Lopez and professional librarian Betsy McIntosh (1918-2001) established the El Rito Public Library. The library occupied one room. Other rooms housed the senior center and the clinic. The Senior Citizens Center moved out after a new Community Center was built in El Rito.

​On February 1, 2000, after the clinic moved into a new building in El Rito, a Grand Opening of the "new" library occupying the entire building was held, after extensive renovations were made. Renovations were supported by a capital-improvement grant from the New Mexico Youth Conservation Corps, supplemental funding from the Los Alamos Foundation, and an outpouring of volunteers and community donations. Through the following years more improvements were made thanks to significant grants from the Helen and Will Webster Foundation and Lowe's.