Librarian Teresa Naranjo, left, and Jennifer Holmes at the Bi Bo Wave Santa Clara Pueblo Community Library where Jennifer donated funds raised in her late husband Ken’s name to continue the library’s work on digitizing their archives of tribal history, stories, and resources. Courtesy photo
Librarian Roxine Calvert and Assistant Jennifer Deipah at the P’oe Tsáwä Community Library at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo will use the funds donated in memory of LAHS librarian Ken Holmes to sponsor a traditional clothing-making workshop for community members. Courtesy photo
BY JENNIFER HOLMES
Two local tribal libraries received $1000 each from money left over from the Ken Holmes Memorial Bench Fund, which was raised to pay for a permanent bench on Los Alamos County land overlooking Pueblo Canyon in July. After all the bench costs were met, Jennifer Holmes, Ken’s wife, and Michael Altherr, the organizer of the crowdsourcing fundraising effort, decided to find an organization that would benefit from small grants and also represent Ken’s interests and values. Before his death in 2022, Ken had been a librarian for 25 years, including 10 years at Los Alamos High School.
The P’oe Tsáwä Community Library at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo will use the funds to sponsor a traditional clothing-making workshop for community members. Librarian Roxine Calvert oversees the library which is a community center and offers a wide variety of activities, including Tewa language classes, arts and crafts for children and technology access. She remarked that, “We are very thankful for the funds to help teach traditional skills in our community. All are welcome at our library; we didn’t know Ken when he visited our library, but we welcomed him in and now these funds are helping us. We always say to bring good thoughts into the library.”
The Santa Clara Pueblo Community Library will use the funds to continue work on digitizing their archives of tribal history, stories, and resources. Teresa Naranjo, the librarian noted that, “This donation in Ken’s name is greatly appreciated, and it was great meeting Jennifer and learning about Ken and his love for libraries!”
Ms. Naranjo, a veteran librarian, is a community leader who advocates for all the many library services including providing the most updated and culturally relevant materials for our Pueblo communities. She reflected that, “Creating a love for reading among youth is the most enjoyable part of our work. Updating technology is a priority, including teaching about the use of new digital resources as well as access to the many different formats of information available. Maintaining, sharing, and preserving archival collections are essential for sharing with future generations!”
Ken would be so pleased that the community of Los Alamos and beyond is supporting Northern New Mexico Tribal Libraries to fund activities and projects that they have identified as needed in their own communities. Thank you to all who supported the Ken Holmes Memorial Bench Fund.