by Lisa Kindrick, Genealogy Librarian, the Public Library Albuquerque and Bernalillo County
The Public Library Albuquerque and Bernalillo County has been privileged over the last twenty years to have the services of an extraordinary volunteer, William “Bill” D. Farmer. Bill has made substantial contributions at three branches of the library system on a weekly basis over these many years.
The well-loved city landmark, the Rose Garden at the Tony Hillerman Library, would not be the beautiful oasis it is today without Bill’s contributions. Bill has been a leading member of the Albuquerque Rose Society since 2001 and has served in nearly all capacities, including President. He’s won many awards for his roses and rose photography and often judges these events at rose shows throughout the Southwest. He brings his expertise with roses to developing and maintaining the awe-inspiring rose garden at the Tony Hillerman Library near Wyoming Boulevard. He coordinates and participates in pruning and planting
projects with Rose Society members and communicates with Library staff about these events. He also has controls for the Tony Hillerman irrigation system on his home computer, can notify Library maintenance if an issue occurs, and monitors that all of the landscaping at the Library, including trees and grass, is being watered correctly. He’s been at the Rose Garden at all hours to repair irrigation lines and to deal with other problems on the grounds. His contributions in maintaining this gorgeous surprise in the middle of the City have been invaluable.
Bill also has made important contributions since 2004 to programs at the Special Collections Library at Edith and Central Avenue. After working there for several years as a volunteer to assist people with their genealogy research, Library Director Julia Clark asked him if he would be interested in also being a part of the Center for the Book Program. He had some experience early in his career working with printing presses and he became the person who maintains the many printing presses from different eras housed at Special Collections. He’s also given many
talks from school groups to prison inmates about the history of writing, the book, and printing. During the school year he is often at Special Collections several times a month for several hours a day to demonstrate the printing presses for student and other groups. He has even helped Special Collections staff to use the printing presses and type to create their amazing Christmas cards.
Bill continues to serve as a genealogy volunteer, even after the move of the collection from Special Collections to the Main Library downtown — so he is now traveling to three different libraries every week to work his magic. He contributes five hours of his time every week to prepare materials for the shelves at the Genealogy Center and is always willing to help with any projects that come up, from shifting materials on the shelves to helping with special research projects. In one capacity or another he’s probably touched every one of the 42,000 volumes on the shelves at the Genealogy Center — from creating the spine labels to shelving them, using them for research, or shifting them. He’s also shared his excitement and knowledge about family history research with student groups at the Genealogy Center, as well given talks at retirement communities and senior centers about genealogy and all the Library has to offer to help with that research. The Genealogy Center and City have benefited from having such an outstanding spokesperson.
With so many varied skills and so much expertise, and after a career in the Air Force and working in private corporations, there are many ways that Bill Farmer could be spending his retirement years. We have been so privileged that Bill has been willing to share so many hours every week over the past twenty years with us and made such an immense positive difference for the Library, the City, and our community.
