Local Library Celebrates Class of 2025 Graduates

By Misty Cryer

The Carlsbad Public Library is known for creating programs that are attractive to community members of all ages and in different walks of life. The upcoming Graduation Cap Decorating event is designed to celebrate seniors. A family event is on the calendar, along with summer programs, with a traveling exhibit about the World War II era planned for the near future.

The Graduation Cap Decorating event is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 1. It is free and open to all high school seniors, said Sarah Jones, Library Director for Carlsbad Public Library. “We know we’ve got several different high schools, and we all want them to feel included and celebrate their big day,” she said.

“This year, they are allowing them to make some decorations. We made sure to check with the schools,” said Jones. To register for the event, seniors can call the library at 575-885-6776 or stop by the front desk. She said that space is still available for seniors to sign up.

Referring to the Carlsbad Public Library’s new Youth Specialist, Michele Robertson, Jones said, “She is trying to build more of a teen program because, during the pandemic, we lost some of our teens. It has been kind of a challenge to try and get teens back involved in the library. She thought this would be a great way for them to personalize their graduation hats,” she said.

The Graduation Cap Decorating event will include making shapes and letters. “Several years ago, the library got the Cricut machine to use for programming, and we’ve been trying to instrument it in different things,” said Jones, explaining that participants will be able to create customized decorations for their caps.

In addition to the goal of getting seniors in the library to build relationships with them, Jones said, “We just thought it would be a great time to celebrate the seniors.”

About the Touch a Truck event, scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 26, Jones said the library has been having it since 2002.

“From 9 to 10, we do a quiet hour, so if there are some kids with some sensory needs or don’t like the loud lights and sirens, they can come then and experience all the vehicles,” said Jones. “From 10 to 12, we’ll have lights and sounds. It’ll be a sensory event for all your senses,” she said.

“We try to invite organizations from Eddy County, who make of our community work—so firefighters, police officers, the trash trucks, semi-trucks…,” said Jones. “Michele is also kind of taking this one over and worked really hard on it. We’re going to have a lot of new things this year. We’re hoping to have a helicopter there and a mini hot-air balloon,” she said.

“A lot of times, some of these people are only seen in emergency situations, and they can sometimes seem really scary, especially with the lights and sirens,” said Jones. “We would love for the kids to be able to get out and meet the professionals that do stuff and see them in a non-emergency setting—kind of talk to them and see what their equipment looks like. It gives them an understanding and respect for their job,” she said.

Using the trash truck as an example, Jones said, “They play an important part in our lives, in our community, and sometimes they don’t always get recognition. I think the professionals like to be out in the community and kind of shake hands and share about what their job is and get the kids excited about it,” she said.

“Usually, some of the people bring stickers or snacks or things like that, so sometimes they have some take-homes,” said Jones. “We are doing it in front of the library this year; the last couple of years, we’ve done it at the Civic Center. Michele will probably have some display books about firefighters and different professions that we’re highlighting out in the park, so they could check out books,” she said.

“We’re planning summer reading, so hopefully, it’ll start the end of May, beginning of June; we’ll have lots of programs going for that,” said Jones. “We’re also bringing ‘Americans and the Holocaust,’ which is a traveling exhibit about World War II and what Americans knew about it. We’re going to do all the programming on that, so we’re excited about bringing those,” she said.

“We’re always planning programs, so we hope people keep an eye out on our Facebook and our website, so they know what’s going on at the library,” said Jones.