A Library Tour: Taylor Ranch Branch

"The best view in town."  That's what a Taylor Ranch staff person told me first thing upon my arrival at the branch & I could only concur. The east bank of windows in the Main Room provide a fabulous view of the Sandia Mountains year round and provide fantastic natural light for the building! I found myself this morning in a completely unfamiliar area of Albuquerque, at a branch I had never been to before (a little embarrassing to admit after almost 20 years in New Mexico & almost 7 years working with ABC Libraries).  I am here to tell you that the driving directions from the library website are completely right, & that you don't want to miss visiting the Taylor Ranch Library because it does have the best view in town-among other attractions!

Taylor Ranch Library is located at 5700 Bogart NW in the Santa Fe Village Park at the corner of Unser Boulevard and Montano Road.  This branch opened in November 1989, replacing the original Taylor Ranch branch at Taylor Ranch Road and Montano Road.  The library is open a total of 60 hours a week; it is open seven days a week and until 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday.  Taylor Ranch has 24 public computers in the Main Room as well as four in the Children's Room for children under 14 (parents with small children with them may also use these PCs).  Only Main Library has more internet computers for public use! Taylor Ranch also offers many of the standard amenities of the ABC Libraries' branches: fax service; Fiction to Go (slightly used, recently published fiction titles for sale-$2 for hardbacks and $1 for paperbacks); voter registration forms, None for the Road DVDs, & bus schedules are all available, but the branch does not have a meeting room or study rooms.  Not that there aren't plenty of cozy nooks to study in!  Also, on the south side of the building, there is a covered patio that is used primarily for library programs, but can also be used by other groups, pending approval by the branch manager.

Taylor Ranch Library offers many programs for all ages, including three different storytimes, a monthly Stargazers Party, A Good Yarn weekly stitch group, Music by the Petroglyphs, a monthly book discussion group...I could go on, but you'll probably want to check for yourself on their branch page! Additionally, you can schedule a computer tutoring session (or just get more information about the sessions) by calling (505) 897-8816.

A lot of customers for this branch are families with children & teens, so as you might imagine, they have a great section for that age group, very colorful & lively.  Look for their many displays, including the one on Science Fair Projects that is kept up pretty much year-round.

I caught Taylor Ranch before they had decorated for this year's Summer Reading, but based on the great artwork left from last year's program ("Make a Splash", above), the branch will be something to see! Of course there will be a bevy of special programs at Taylor Ranch (or "Taylorvania") for the upcoming Summer Reading program, "One World, Many Stories/Un Mundo, Muchas Historias"-including the Library Battle of the Bands. Interested teen musicians, bands, djs and performers should contact Jason at jshoup@cabq.gov or 897-8816. Super Sumo is on the lookout for teen volunteers for the Summer Reading program, as well.

One could hardly mention Taylor Ranch Library without noting its close proximity to the Petroglyph National Monument, but that's certainly not the area's only attraction! The library itself is located in Santa Fe Village Park, where there is a playground, soccer fields, & a dog park. Bring a picnic! Nearby is the Don Newton/Taylor Ranch Community Center at Kachina Street and Taylor Ranch Road, where you can find a plethora of programs for all age groups. After Memorial Day, consider a visit to Sierra Vista Pool-children from 5-14 are even eligible for the Metro Aquatic League, a swimming and water polo league hosted by the City of Albuquerque-and the 10 courts of the Sierra Vista West Tennis Complex.

With so much to do & see, you'll definitely want to make Taylor Ranch Library part of your Summer Reading adventure! Get the Taylorvania stamp on your Summer Reading passport! Don't forget to like them on Facebook! Also, they have a great assortment of booklists, if you need a reading suggestion.
 

Special thanks to Taylor Ranch Library staff member Ellen for the great tour & providing much of this information!