INTRODUCTION

 

The Pueblo of San Ildefonso Library became a reality when the community Learning Center was completed in 2005. Our approach to the long term planning process is to review the accomplishments and overall usage by the San Ildefonso community since the Library’s opening. Our goal is to implement a detailed plan of review, maintain excellent customer service, and build patronage.

 

PUEBLO DE SAN ILDEFONSO

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The Pueblo de San Ildefonso history dates back to 1300 A.D. when the people from Bandelier moved down to the current location next to the Rio Grande. Before this, they had come from Mesa Verde in Southern Colorado.

Today the Pueblo consists of over 60,000 acres and has an enrollment of approximately 750 people. We are located north of Santa Fe, off State Road 502 and east of Los Alamos, along the Rio Grande Valley.

Our annual feast celebration and ceremonies begin the evening of January 22nd with church vespers. The animal dancers make an appearance in the plaza, walking through the central area, around bonfires on either side. They retire quickly and will not be seen until dawn the following morning. On January 23rd, beginning at dawn, the People of San Ildefonso celebrate their annual feast day with traditional dances, Deer and Comanche dances.  There is Mass celebrated on this day as well. These dances, vespers and Mass blend the native practices with the feast day of the saint Ildefonso.

Our Pueblo is known for its traditional black on black pottery a highly polished finish and black matte design, as well as red and polychrome pottery. There are also painters, jewelry makers, weavers, carvers, seamstresses, and moccasin makers here at the Pueblo. 

 

The Library

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The Library is open four days a week from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and from 8:00am to 5:00pm on Fridays. San Ildefonso Pueblo Library has gone through a remodel and an addition in the last few years in response to increasing number of patrons. There are approximately 60-70 patrons from the community and from neighboring communities that use the library daily and approximately 40 of these daily patrons are students in grades kindergarten through 12 who participate in the Library After-school program. Students use the library resources for reading books, computers for homework and research projects, tutoring, heritage Tewa language classes, and college readiness. Community members use library resources for educational and recreational reading, college course work, correspondence, and career services including online training/certification, job search, resumes, etc.

 

​Education

The Pueblo de San Ildefonso Department of Education mission is to enable community members to realize their full potential. The Pueblo de San Ildefonso Department of Education strives in every effort to uphold the importance of the Tewa language in its preservation, education, and use as a core foundation for cultural identity. The Pueblo de San Ildefonso Department of Education will support the community in becoming both educated and professional contributing individuals by providing the best, most unique and relevant services, training, and resources.

 

Priorities:

 

1. Provide language classes, traditional arts and crafts activities, and site visits in conjunction with seminars, workshops and specialized training to teach and encourage the revitalization and preservation of the Tewa language. It is estimated that 80% of community members do not speak Tewa language. English has replaced Tewa as the first language spoken in the home as necessary skill in the modern world for students in school and parents at work. The Pueblo will build a frame work to retain students in highly effective language classes from early childhood to a young adult. Language and cultural initiatives will foster cultural identity to help build personal confidence by strengthening student academic achievement.

 

2. Provide public library resources and services including access to basic reference collections, internet access, and educational programming including the after school and summer youth programs.

 

3. Provide student services to meet the needs of the community in areas of early childhood development, special education, collaboration with local schools, improving academic performance, higher education, scholarship administration, and career readiness.

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Thank you to all of the funding agencies that make the Library and Education Department programs possible:

Chamiza Foundation

Bureau of Indian Education- Early Childhood, Scholarship and Johnson O'Malley

New Mexico State Founding for Libraries

Public Education Department- Indian Education Division

Child Care and Developmental Fund

LANL Foundation

Generous amounts donated by: Santa Fe Montezuma Masons and In Loving Memory of Margaret Siebel

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