By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
One of Rio Rancho’s busiest community hubs is getting a facelift. More than 3,000 people visit Esther Bone Memorial Library each month, and they’ll need a Plan B from January through May 2027 while crews renovate the building.
The Governing Body voted 6-0 Thursday to approve a $990,431 contract with Young Guns Construction for the project. The library opened in 1992 and got its last major upgrade in 2007-08, said Jason Shoup, the city’s director of Library and Information Services. It hasn’t seen much work since, he said.
The renovation brings new flooring, lighting, ceilings and paint, plus remodeled restrooms, a reworked meeting room and service desk, upgraded outdoor programming space and a dedicated nursing room for mothers, according to the agenda packet.
Library staff are already planning how to keep books in readers’ hands during the closure.
“We have some very clever librarians who are very dedicated to getting their programs and books in the hands of their people,” Shoup said.
Current plans include regular bookmobile visits, a pickup locker, new locations for major programs and possible transportation options for patrons, Shoup said.