The librarian’s prayer begins “Lord help me encourage people to have a love for reading and to find a friend in their books.”
Española library director Teddie Riehl could possibly amend that prayer to include some friends in city government.
After almost three years leading the city’s library Riehl resigned July 2. She said there are many reasons she’s returning to Las Cruces, her home, but would not specify.
When pressed, she said, “It’s hard to look them (her employees) in the eye and say, ‘I can’t give you a raise or hire more people to help.’”
Riehl said she was considering moving back to Las Cruces for several months but it pushed her over edge when she read that the city is going to hire two positions in city hall.
“One of those temporary positions makes more than two of my people combined,” she said.
The library director position requires someone who is more adept at dealing with government, Riehl said.
“I don’t feel like I haven’t done anything here,” she said. “I’ve tried really hard.”
Indeed Riehl has a long list of accomplishments during her tenure at the library. Among the many accomplishments listed on her resignation letter she pushed the Wi-Fi installation through, improved the children’s programs and computer area, increased revenue and improved customer service markedly. Her circulation reports show a clear upward trend in library use, circulation and library cards issued.
Her resignation letter prompted a huge outpouring of support from the many people and organizations she has worked with to make the library a better institution, she said July 6.
City recreation Director Len Cata did not return two phone messages left for him. Cata was Riehl’s supervisor and would be key in hiring the next person to occupy the position, which pays $42,000 annually.
During her time at the library Riehl and the library board pushed to get a bond passed to build a new library. It failed by a large margin, election results state.
“When we were going through that bond issue I saw how hard everyone worked to make it happen,” Riehl said. “Len Cata, (former mayor) Joseph Maestas and Veronica Albin were all out knocking on doors. And when I saw tears in (library Board President) Dan Roybal’s and Joseph’s eyes I decided I was just going to work my tail off.”
Her work paid off to a degree and the city has purchased the old Hunter Ford building but only has state funding for the $265,000 study and design phase.
Riehl acknowledged a new library may never happen but it’s a dream of hers and she said she encourages her staff to work toward that and to better the library in which they now reside.
Roybal said Riehl’s departure was a loss for the city but that he was unaware of any specific issues with city hall.
“I want to thank her for all that she’s done,” Roybal said. “I’ve done everything I can to move this project (the new library) forward but I’ve not heard any specific complaints from her.”
Cities cutting funding to public libraries, unfortunately, is usually the case, Roybal said.
“I’m cut from a different cloth,” Roybal said. “A strong library for all the residents to benefit from is essential.”
Of the many organization Riehl worked with, she said the state library system is invaluable.
“I would encourage my replacement to seek out people in the state system,” she said. “They’re great people to work with.”
Española’s library hosted the state reading program two times. Riehl also was on the selection committee to pick one of the five state librarians being currently hired. The state also supplied help with the speaking series hosted by the library.
“Eleanor Bernau was really great about it,” Riehl said. “She was a big supporter and came to see me the first month I was here.”
Bernau said most recently she worked with Riehl on the summer reading program. The annual kick off takes a huge amount of preparation coming from the library and the city.
“Teddie coordinated that for Española,” Bernau said. “We were fortunate she took on that task for two years in a row. You’re losing a real strong asset and an advocate for the library.”
Bernau said Riehl came into the library at a time when it needed the stability and positive path she provided.
“She evened it out and got the library moving in a forward direction, Bernau said.
Riehl said she hasn’t decided what she’ll do yet. Her immediate plans are to move back to Las Cruces and then get some trips in.
She said she hopes the library remains accessible to as many people as possible. The use outside of normal library functions increased during Riehl’s time here, she said. Sometimes it required moving furniture or turning down the air conditioning for the garden club.
The economy plays a large part in the library’s use, she said. When people can no longer afford a magazine subscription or internet access, they depend on the library.
“It’s important that the library not only remain accessible but that groups are encouraged to use it,” she said.