Having opened Estes Park’s first community library in 1916, the Estes Park Woman’s Club (EPWC) has a long and dedicated history of supporting the Estes Valley Library and local literacy programs. This month, that support will bring excitement, smiles, and lasting memories for the Estes Valley’s youngest readers.

            On Wednesday, March 23, internationally-recognized illustrator and artist Rafael López will visit with students in the Estes Park Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. His award-winning illustrations bring diverse characters to children’s books, and he is driven to produce and promote books that reflect and honor the lives of all young people. Born and raised in Mexico City to architect parents, López was immersed in the rich visual heritage, music and surrealism of his native culture.

            López is the recipient of the 2019 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, the 2017 Tomás Rivera Children’s Book Award, along with a 2016 Pura Belpré Medal for illustration.

            To celebrate this partnership of support, Estes Park Woman’s Club President Judi Cunningham joined Melanie Kozlowski, Early Literacy Librarian, for a photo, as they hold a picture of author-illustrator López. This photo was taken by the Library’s second-floor fireplace in the comfortable Quiet Room of the Library, an improvement completed in 2017 through the generous support of the Woman’s Club.

            “We’re grateful to the Estes Park Woman’s Club for their sponsorship of this event,” says Kozlowski. “Author visits are exciting and meaningful for the Library and Estes Park Schools. Students gain a personal experience alongside a working artist. And they see firsthand that the books they love are made by regular people who use their creative gifts to help make the world a better and more colorful place.”

            One of the Library’s important 2022 objectives states, “We develop young minds so that they become year-round readers.” The Library is grateful for the tremendous and enduring support of the Estes Park Woman’s Club to bring this special opportunity to the benefit of Estes Park’s young people.