LA JARA — Driving past the Conejos County Library, you may have missed seeing a familiar red car in the parking lot, and if you came into the library recently, you may have missed a certain warm smile and, “Hi. How are you?” After 30 years of faithful, conscientious, caring service to the library and to the public, Vangie Archuleta has retired.

On February 11, at the Conejos County Library, library staff and members of the library board gathered to see Librarian Maria DeHerrera present Archuleta with a plaque expressing gratitude to the retiring library worker for her thirty years of service and dedication to the Conejos County Library.

At the gathering, stories of the past were told. Pizza, sodas, and a beautiful cake with words of appreciation were shared. As Archuleta cut the cake she thanked all who were a part of her experience of working at the Conejos County Library.

Archuleta says that Gatha Vance trained her, and from Vance she gained her perspective on how a library should function. She said that Vance always made sure she attended to the details that keep a library up and going, and this has been Archuleta’s focus through the years. She has always seen to it that books were all put back in their proper place and the library was clean and ready to meet the public. Archuleta always kept the public first. Many a library patron has sought Archuleta out in person, or by phone, to help find that special book, and Archuleta has passed on her knowledge of the library to each new library employee.

Archuleta first task was to re-shelve the books. She learned the desk-how to check the books in and out; then how to process the books. She also learned to keep up with the card catalog. Archuleta said, “What a difference when the computer came along. When they brought in the computer, it made processing the books so much easier. I wished that it had come sooner.”

Another change that Archuleta saw with the arrival of the computer was how the public used the library. Archuleta says that before computers the library was full of patrons. After the computer, there were not as many patrons checking out books, but Moms and Dads are still bringing their children to introduce them to the written word. And many people now-especially the younger generation-come to the library to use the computers and get online.

Archuleta especially loved reading stories and doing story related activities with the children from the Sanford Head Start and the Conejos County Head Start. She also loved conducting the Summer Reading Program in Antonito. It gave her great satisfaction to see the little ones grow up and become mothers and fathers and bring their children into the library to hear stories.

A couple of those children, Charlotte Coombs and Danette Sowards, became library volunteers and took over the reading programs, (a special thanks to Amy Larson for doing the reading programs now).

Archuleta has a special place in her memory for Pauline Morgan, Edith Hostetter, and Eloise Peterson, who have been coming to the Library through the years. Archuleta has come to know many elderly persons from Sanford, Manassa, La Jara, Romeo and Capulin.

Archuleta also enjoyed going through the History of the San Luis Valley section of the library. She loved checking into the history and culture of the San Luis Valley.

Archuleta’s journey with the Conejos County Library began 30 years ago when the Center for Rural Development, based in Alamosa, placed her at the Conejos County Library. Archuleta stayed with the program for a year, and then officially came on board with the Conejos County Library in 1979. She was a full time employee of the library for 12 years. Then in 1990 she began working at the library part time in connection with the Seniors Inc. Foster Grandparents’ Program. She worked at the library through Senior Inc. until she retired in December 2008.

Archuleta loved being a part of the library and talking to all the patrons who took advantage of it. She also greatly appreciates all the wonderful people she has had the opportunity to get to know and work with.

When asked what she might do next, Archuleta’s says that after many years, she is catching up with what needs to be done in her home. She plans on spending time with her husband Zeke. With a twinkle in her eyes, she is taking “five” before she considers anything else she may like to do.

Story submitted by Conejos County Library Board member Beverly Miller