Photo Credit: Artist Tony Lopez Mora Memorial Library: A Community Analysis Katherine Frisch Reference Librarian Mora Memorial Public Library October 7, 2017 Frisch 1 History, Geography, & Description: The Mora Memorial Public Library is situated in the small, rural county of Mora, New Mexico. This county is located in a valley between Las Vegas and Taos, New Mexico. The library primarily serves the rural villages of Mora, Cleveland, Chacon, and Wagon Mound. The library’s service area extends throughout the county of Mora and beyond. Periodically, some neighboring county residents and tourists visit Mora Memorial. The library is physically located on Main Street in downtown Mora. The county is about 1,934 miles positioned within the Sangre de Cristo mountains and national parks of Carson National Forest, Kiowa National Grassland, and Santa Fe National Forest. Historically speaking, Mora County was home to the nomatic tribes of the Utes, Navajos, and Apache. Long considered the ‘breadbasket of the Southwest’ the Mora Valley was a known agricultural hub along the Santa Fe Trail. In 1853, Ceran St. Vrain settled in the area and established a flour mill. Mora then became the primary supplier of grain to the Fort Union Military base and the nearby Navajo Reservation. Even today, agriculture is a major economic source for Mora County (Mora County 2017). Demographics: Population As mentioned earlier, The Mora Memorial Library serves the residents of Mora County, a census created area in New Mexico. This Library primarily serves the villages of Mora, Cleveland, and Chacon. Most of the data displayed is from the 2010 Census. According to this survey, the total population for Mora County is 4,881. When comparing different census data, it becomes apparent that Mora county’s total population is steadily declining with a loss of 520 people since the 2000 Census survey. Subject Mora County 2000 Mora County 2010 Mora County 2015 Total 5,180 4,881 4,660 Male 2,616 2,498 2,226 Female 2,564 2,383 2,434 Frisch 2 2010 Census Data The population analyzed by age has a median age of 46 years old with the 40-59 age range being the largest demographic. Next, the 20-39 year old range and the 60-79 year old range equally share the same percentage of the population estimate at 23%. The 80+ senior population is predictably the smallest demographic, and the 20-39 year old category is at 19%. Age Number Percent Total population 4,881 100% 0-19 1147 23.5% 20-39 929 19% 40-59 1481 30.3% 60-79 1117 23% 80+ 207 4.2% Once the data is analyzed by race, it becomes apparent that the majority of the population of Mora County is considered to be Latino, with 81% of the population. The next largest racial demographic reported was white with 17.9% of the total population. Race/Ethnicity Total Percent Latino 3953 81% White 873 17.9% Black 10 0.2% American Indian 17 0.3% Asian 11 0.2% Other 16 0.3% As for languages spoken at home, Spanish is the greatest total with 64% of the population speaking Spanish at home. Only English speakers rank next at 34.6%, and other Indo-European languages such as French and German make up 0.8% of the population (2015 Census). Frisch 3 Languages spoken at Total Percent Home Spanish 2,812 64% English 1,506 34.6% Other Indo-European 33 0.8% Language Housing: The Mora community is quite small with a total of 1,654 households according to the 2015 Census. Family households account for 53.4% of this total, and of this number 10% are single- parent households. The percentage of non-family households total to 46.6%. Households Number Percent Family 883 53.4% -Married 717 43.3% -Female Parent 124 7.5% -Male Parent 42 2.5% Non-family households 771 46.6% Education: According to the 2015 Census, of the total population 25 years and older, 83.6% have a high school diploma or higher education level. Of this total 13.9% have a Bachelor’s degree or Graduate degree. Three colleges operate somewhat near Mora County. The closest being, Luna Community College in Las Vegas, NM. The other two are Armand Hammer United World College in Montezuma, NM; and Northern New Mexico College in Espanola, NM. The only public school system in the county is Mora Independent Schools with a total of four schools in the system. These schools are Mora Elementary, Holman Elementary, Lazar Larry Garcia Middle School, and Mora High School. The only child care center in the area is Mora Head Start Preschool. Frisch 4 Nearby libraries include Taos Public Library in Taos, NM; Carnegie Public Library in Las Vegas, NM; and Shuter Library in Angel Fire, NM. Education Level Total Percentage Less than 9th Grade 172 5.4% 9th-12th Grade 348 11% High School Graduate 1127 35.6% Some College, no degree 755 23.8% Associate degree 326 10.3% Bachelor’s Degree 216 6.8% Graduate Degree 224 7.1% Transportation Public transportation is basically nonexistent in the area. Mora county is extremely rural and the homes are widely scattered throughout the area. Most of the employed population commutes to work with an average of 25 minutes of driving time. Of the people commuting to work, 79.7% drive alone and 11.3% carpool. The remaining people report that they work from home. This averages to about 8.1%. Economic Life & Employment Natural resources are a major part of the economy driving Mora County. There is a tradition of agriculture, logging, hunting, and fishing. Tourism based around these natural resources is thriving, specifically the hunting and fishing business. A few research and preservation centers operate within the area such as the Mora National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center, and the New Mexico State University’s Mora Research Center. Out of the civilian population for 2015, a total of 1,166 people were employed. The percentage of unemployed people in this community was relatively low at 1.8%. Since the number of employed people is relatively low, as well as the unemployment rate, perhaps the majority of the population is made up of retired, seasonal, or undocumented workers. This would make sense because Mora County is surrounded by tourist towns and experiences larger populations during the skiing, harvesting, and hunting seasons. The median family income was $23,822. The number of families below the poverty line was 23.4%, an increase since the 2012 survey. Frisch 5 Survey Total Total Below Percent Population Poverty Line 2012 4820 782 16.2% 2015 4660 1092 23.4% As shown in the chart below, the top two major industries in the area are Education/Health Care, and Agricultural/Forestry. The third major industry was a tie between Retail Trade and Public Administration. As of 2012, a total of 349 companies operated within the area. The only healthcare center in the county is Mora Valley Community Health Services in Mora, NM. Other nearby healthcare centers include Alta Vista Regional Hospital in Las Vegas, NM; and Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, NM. Industries Totals Percent Education, Health Care, 423 36.3% Social Assistance Agricultural, Forestry, 207 17.8% Fishing, Hunting, & Mining Retail Trade / Public 145, 145 12.4%, 12.4% Administration Tourism As alluded to earlier, Mora County has a strong seasonal population. The neighboring areas of Taos and Angel Fire are destination tourist towns. Angel Fire is a popular ski resort town, and Taos is known for its art community and galleries. During tourist seasons, Mora County has an increase in population. Many tourists come for the hunting and fishing season in Mora, as well as to visit the national parks. National parks include the Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest, Carson National Forest, Morphy Lake State Park, and Coyote Creek State Park. The Fort Union military fort in particular is a favorite among tourists. Established in 1851, this adobe style fort along the Santa Fe Trail offers a rich military history (Newmexico.org). Mora County also has a significant wheat farming background as evidenced by the various mills in the area. Several of these mills have been renovated into museums such as the Cleveland Roller Mill (angel fire.com). Frisch 6 Problems: The Mora Memorial Public Library’s patrons include tourists, nature enthusiasts, thrill seekers, farmers, ranchers, parents, retirees, children, and seasonal homeowners. Most of the residents receive incomes below the national average and consequently many live below the poverty line. Many of these residents are homeowners as few properties are available for rent in the area. Of the properties not occupied, some are available seasonally for tourists, however most remain vacant. Contributing to the bleak economic conditions is Mora’s limited commercial sector. There are four main restaurants in the town of Mora, and few shopping opportunities unless residents drive to Taos or Las Vegas. Most residents have their own car, as public transportation is virtually nonexistent and many have to commute to work. Outside Resources: Because Mora Memorial Library serves a rather small community, access to outside resources is limited due to lack of funds. The library is a county operated institution with a board of trustees in charge of the budget. The library receives an adequate budget for new materials, staff, computers, and reliable wireless internet service. However, some of the more expensive services such as computer databases and interlibrary loans are outside of the library’s price range. If the item requested is at a nearby library, arrangements can be made to obtain it; however, long distance interlibrary loan requests are out of the question.