Job with fringe benefits

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Rosemary Cota of Portales set up some activities for her young adult group at the Portales Public Library. Cota is working on a party that is based on the book and soon-to-be movie “The Giver.”

Editor’s note: The “Meet the” series profiles the people behind groups, organizations and

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community.

By Lillian Bowe

Staff writer

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Growing up in Portales, Rosemary Cota would go to storytime at the Portales Public Library. Cota always loved going to the library, so when the opportunity to work at the place she loved arose, she took it.

Cota started working at the library three years ago and now she is the young adult librarian.

“I have always liked reading non-fiction books, but being the young adult librarian, I have expanded my horizons,” Cota said.

As the young adult librarian, Cota set up after school programs like Wii game day, minute-to-win-it games and other activities that make reading more fun. Cota has also planned parties that celebrate books becoming movies.

“We have done a huge ‘Hunger Games’ party and right now I am planning a big party for ‘The Giver,’” Cota said.

Cota said she enjoys working with the teens and “tweens” and likes reading the books they enjoy.

Grace Coy finds working with the younger children at the library to be her favorite part of the job.

“It is super fun to work with the kids,” Coy said.

Coy works with in the children’s library and also works the front desk checking out books and helping customers.

Coy, originally from San Antonio, joined the library in May. Coy and her husband were stationed in Okinawa, Japan and were transferred to Cannon Air Force Base.

“This is my first library gig, but I love it. It is more work than I thought. I do a lot of customer service working here. It was not hard for me to adjust as I have worked in retail,” Coy said.

One advantage working at the library Coy has found is checking out books whenever she wants.

“I have stopped buying books lately and I only check out books now,” Coy said.

Tamila Gay also said being able to check out books easily is a perk, but the best part of her job is her coworkers.

“All of them are so fun to work with,” Gay said.

Gay, from Wisconsin, started her job at the library two years ago. Gay, like Coy, moved to Portales because of a transfer to Cannon.

Gay’s job is to process and catalogue the books at the library. Gay said it is a lot of work, but she enjoys her job.