A library expansion 25 years in the making

The Thomas Branigan Memorial Library has books, of course. But it also has sewing machines, 3D printers, laser cutters, baking pans and enough activities to fill a calendar with 30 programs every week. What it doesn't have is enough space.

That could change dramatically if Las Cruces voters approve a $26 million general obligation bond Nov. 3, clearing the way for a renovation and expansion that would transform the city's main library with new services, more space and a dramatically different appearance.

The project would add approximately 20,000 square feet to a building that opened in 1979, creating room for expanded children's programs, a podcasting studio, demonstration kitchen and additional study rooms.

Carol Brey, director of the city's Quality of Life Department, says the project has been a long time coming. Brey was director of Branigan Library in the late 1990s when consultants first recommended a major renovation and expansion. Their report, published in 2000, concluded that the library needed more space to serve a community that had doubled in population since the building opened.

More than a quarter-century later, the need has only grown. A new library system master plan, completed in 2024 and unanimously approved by the city council, again recommended renovating Branigan and expanding it by 20,000 square feet.

Very little has changed in the building since those original recommendations, Brey said, beyond the addition of the Roadrunner Room and some interior reconfiguration.

"It's still painted the same color that I was responsible for getting it painted in 1998," Brey said.

Library Deputy Director Sarah Booth said the city's library system has approximately 44,000 square feet of space to serve more than 111,000 residents. Consultants recommend one square foot of library space per resident. Even after the proposed expansion, the system would have only about 65,000 square feet, including its two smaller branches at Munson Center and Sage Café.

Meanwhile, demand continues to grow. The library provides approximately 30 programs a week, ranging from Lullaby Lounge for babies and caregivers to family craft activities, teen programs, book clubs and sewing classes for adults. It also offers computers, printing services and public meeting spaces.

"And we're quite frankly running out of space," Booth said. "We are just overwhelmed. And it's wonderful how many people are coming to the library, but we just don't have enough room to provide these services."

The proposed renovation would change both the appearance and functionality of the building. One significant improvement would be leveling the first floor, which currently has two different elevations. Removing interior half walls would recover approximately 2,000 square feet of usable space while improving accessibility and visibility.

The children's area, currently estimated to be only one-fourth the size needed, would expand into the existing amphitheater area. Plans also call for a new entrance and atrium lobby, café and Friends of the Library bookstore. Lower shelving, improved sight lines and additional self-service options would make the building easier to navigate. The changes would allow the library to reduce its service desks from six to two.

Perhaps the biggest transformation, however, would be in the ways visitors could use the library. The two existing makerspaces, where visitors can use equipment such as 3D printers, sewing machines and laser cutters, would be expanded. A third makerspace would provide a podcasting and recording studio.

The number of study rooms would increase from two to 10, while a third-floor meeting room would include a demonstration kitchen and outdoor patio. The library already operates a seed library, and the new space would allow staff to demonstrate gardening techniques suited to southern New Mexico.

The design was developed by Desert Peak Architecture with input from library employees, city officials and the public.

The expansion comes at a time when libraries are increasingly providing services that extend far beyond lending books. Booth said librarians continue to serve as trusted guides to information, helping visitors evaluate sources and find reliable answers in an age when information is readily available but not always accurate.

The library's collection of nontraditional items reflects that changing role. Residents can borrow baking pans or use sewing machines and specialized equipment without purchasing them. The makerspaces allow visitors to experiment with ideas, complete school projects or create prototypes for potential businesses.

"And this is all completely free," Booth said. "You don't have to have a library card. You can just come in and use our materials."

The library also serves as a gathering place where residents can sit, work, learn and connect with others.

That role extends beyond Las Cruces. Library officials said the system recorded approximately 282,000 visits during the last fiscal year, with patrons coming from throughout Doña Ana County and neighboring communities.

Brey said public libraries were originally envisioned as places where anyone could pursue an education outside a formal classroom. That mission remains, even as the tools have changed from printed books to computers, digital resources and creative equipment.

How the bond would work

The $26 million library project is the only proposal included in the city's 2026 general obligation bond question. General obligation bonds allow cities to borrow money for major public projects and repay that debt over time through property taxes.

City officials say approval would not increase the property tax rate. Las Cruces uses a recurring bond cycle in which older debt is paid down and new bonds are issued, allowing the city to finance additional projects while maintaining its existing tax rate.

"It's a simple answer. There's no increase in taxes," said Cynthia Alamillo, who works with the city's Capital Improvement Program.

If voters approve the bond, the city anticipates selling bonds around March 2027, with construction beginning as early as May or June. The renovation is expected to take 18 to 24 months, potentially allowing the library to reopen between late 2028 and mid-2029.

Because the project involves a comprehensive renovation, the library would have to vacate the building during construction. Officials are exploring temporary locations where library services could continue, although no site has been finalized. Services at the smaller Munson Center and Sage Café branches would be expanded during construction, and a new bookmobile, expected in December 2027, would help extend services to neighborhoods.

A foundation for future growth

Even with the expansion, Las Cruces would remain well below the library space recommended in its master plan. Library officials envision eventually developing full-service branches of 25,000 to 30,000 square feet in other parts of the city. The growing East Mesa area is among the locations where officials see a need for additional service.

Those possibilities remain long-term goals, however, with no funding or construction timetable established. For now, the focus is on modernizing the city's central library, a building that has remained largely unchanged while the community around it has grown and the role of libraries has evolved.

Brey, who has watched that evolution from her time as Branigan's director through her years leading the El Paso Public Library system and her return to Las Cruces, sees the project as an opportunity to address needs identified decades ago.

"It's time for Las Cruces to have that opportunity," she said, "to have the kind of library that people really need and deserve here."

More information about the proposed renovation, including a video rendering of the project, is available at lascruces.gov/gobond