The Williams Memorial Library exemplifies both the challenges and rewards that collaboration between generous philanthropy and creative vision brings. It was the gift and lasting tribute of 90-year-old Willis Williams to the struggling rural town of his boyhood. Mr. Williams worked closely with Mark Rohde to communicate and realize his dream, and was present to dedicate the library on its completion.

The library replaced cramped quarters in the fire station as the home for Estancia’s collections. It occupies a corner of Lake Arthur Park, surrounded by a residential neighborhood and county fairgrounds. This “jewel of Estancia” completes the park as a civic center that also boasts a fishing pond, swimming pool, and an outdoor theater. Modernist in form and detail, it projects timelessness through locally quarried travertine walls and generous windows, providing the town a “living room” for patrons of all ages. Reading areas and collections, teen and adult computer stations, a history room that showcases regional artifacts and an inviting fireplace, and a children’s library that features a semi-circular “story kiva” are all enhanced by views of the park’s majestic cottonwood trees and the beautiful verdant setting.