Lynnette Fields, Board President of the Placitas Community Library, (L) and Commissioners Katherine A. Brooks, District 1, and Commissioner Joshua A. Jones, District 5, review some special books at the library following the groundbreaking ceremony. The books featured represent benefactors, patrons, sponsors and more of the library.
Bernalillo, NM, January 12, 2024: A groundbreaking ceremony was held today at the Placitas Community Library (PCL), 453 Highway 165, Placitas, NM, for its solar panel expansion project. The project is estimated at $108,000 for construction and equipment, and these additional solar panels will offset the utility costs at the library. PPC Solar has been awarded the contract. It is anticipated that construction will be completed in early spring. The expansion is being underwritten largely by a grant secured by State Representative Matthew McQueen, District 50, and the remaining costs will be paid by monies raised by the PCL Capital Campaign.
State Representative Matthew McQueen, District 50, said “Libraries are the hub of a community. They are a gathering place where residents have easy access to resources including books, films, and computers along with social programming. This $100,000 grant has $83,000 dedicated to the solar panel project and also provides for a new printer and a website redesign for the library.”
Wayne Johnson, County Manager for Sandoval County, explained that this expansion follows a building expansion completed last year and that the library building is owned by Sandoval County. Mr. Johnson said, “This is an example of a great public-private partnership. We share the mutual goal of thoughtful stewardship of natural resources and prudent practices of energy conservation. Being able to construct the project with significant local government funding demonstrates to the community the importance of our libraries and our commitment to them.”
Lynnette Fields, Board President for Placitas Community Library, said, “We so appreciate Representative McQueen for his support of our library and the community we serve. Staffed by both employees and a committed team of volunteers, PCL works closely with the people of Placitas to connect them locally and globally,” Ms. Fields said. “We also commend the Sandoval County Public Works Facilities Division for its attentiveness and thoroughness in maintaining the library building. We are all so proud of PCL.”
The Placitas Community Library (PCL) is a nonprofit library located in an unincorporated area in rural Sandoval County, New Mexico. It serves a population of approximately 5,000. The library is managed by a part-time director, a part-time administrator, and a team of more than 85 volunteers. PCL opened in its current location in May 2009. The library is recognized as a hub of community activity, providing educational, social, and cultural activities for residents. For more information, visit placitaslibrary.com.
