In the early 2000’s, Mesa County Public Library helped us start a mini-library in Mesa at the Mesa Community Center. The Mesa Community Club provided the funding for construction of two closets with French doors in the meeting room. Mesa County Public Library provided the shelving and books. Volunteers provided the staffing. The next big question was what to call this little library? Since we would not be an official branch library of the MCPL system, we decided to be the Mesa Leaf Library. Over time, and since leaves die and blow away, we settled on morphing into the Mesa Twig Library.

We are open every Wednesday from 10:30 am – Noon.

A local book group was started in 2003, and that group of volunteers took on the managing, staffing and fund raising for the Mesa Library. Book donations started overwhelming our shelving, so an annual book sale was held on Color Sunday. Proceeds from this sale provided a computer, supplies and materials for children’s story time, purchasing books and equipment.

Supporting the Mesa Community Club’s children’s events with free books for  Halloween, Christmas and Easter also become an annual tradition.

When the library first opened, we kept track of the books that were checked out with a log book and an entry for each family. Books were rotated with Mesa County and the titles were checked out to us. As more and more books were donated and as the task of hauling books back and forth became a challenge, we now operate as a big “Little Free Library”. Take a book and bring it back if you want to and/or bring a book to donate.

We have a small shelf of special historic Plateau Valley specific titles that we do keep track of and expect borrowers to return. We also manage an official Little Free Library that lives in the playground area of the Mesa Community Center. Our library is run by a dedicated group of volunteers who share their time, talents and enthusiasm for life-long learning.

About 10 years ago, we decided to schedule guest speakers and special events. We have had experts talk about topics from bees to bats, geocaching to genealogy and from weeds to wiki-ups.

We have learned to crochet, knit, sew and weave. With support from the Mesa Community Club, we have used the MCC kitchen and hosted farm-to-table luncheons, learned to bake bread, ferment vegetables and make cheese. We have supported children’s programming such as Art Heritage classes, story time and bicycle safety. Other community events included fire safety programs where our speakers distributed information on fire mitigation practices and the MCC provided shovels, gloves and buckets to attendees.

A few years ago a floor loom was donated and we have acquired several other weaving looms and equipment; an active fiber arts groups has taught classes to interested future weavers. We have also been supportive of our community garden and yoga classes.

Periodically we get together to brainstorm ideas of what we’d like to learn, teach, or offer to the community. Upcoming events that are on the drawing board include art classes, cooking (bread, tamales, canning, making salsa, jellies and jams), fiber arts (embroidery, sewing, weaving, knitting, crochet, felting), learning about our natural world (bird watching, living in bear country, foraging, hiking) and local history (guest speakers on topics of interest).

Other ideas that have made it to our list include learning sign language, inviting guest authors, and sharing travel adventures. Most of our programming and events take place on Wednesday mornings from 10:30am – Noon.

Join us if you can and check out the Mesa Community Center website to see the calendar of events: Calendar