Farmington Public Library
public library system in New Mexico, US
Farmington Public Library is a public library system in San Juan County, New Mexico.
History
The library was founded in 1921 in the living room of Mrs. Lorena Mahany's home
at 506 West Arrington in downtown Farmington, New Mexico. Mrs. Mahany offered her services as the first librarian. In 1938 the library was moved to a new building constructed as a Works Progress Administration project located on the small city park at the corner of East La Plata and Orchard. The collection consisted of 2,000 books. This building was remodelled in 1961 and again in 1974. In 1984 the library was moved into the former First National Bank building located at 100 West Broadway in downtown Farmington.
Groundbreaking for the new Farmington Public Library building occurred in March 2002 in a vacant lot located on East Twentieth Street between Farmington Avenue and Schofield Lane.
The public source identifies “Farmington Public Library” as public library system in New Mexico, US. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Farmington, Public and Library.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Farmington Public Library”, the useful work is to connect “public library system in New Mexico, US” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 27, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q5435906. Authority coordinates are 36.750, -108.179. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1921, 1938, 1961 and 1974.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Farmington Public Library”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Farmington Public Library primary sources, Farmington Public Library archive and Farmington research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Farmington Public Library”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Farmington Public Library” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.