UNM Gallup Librarian Named Consortium President, Elevating Local Library Influence
Markos Chavez, director of Zollinger Library at UNM Gallup and a Gallup native, was named president of the New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries on November 14, 2025, a role that places McKinley County at the center of statewide library coordination. The appointment and a welcome retreat that showcased Indigenous performers underscore growing ties between campus libraries, community culture, and cooperative efforts that can expand access to resources for local residents.
Markos Chavez, who has led Zollinger Library since 2022, was named president of the Executive Committee of the New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries at a Novem ber 14 retreat hosted by UNM Gallup. The consortium represents academic libraries across New Mexico and coordinates statewide projects and unified positions on key library issues, making the position consequential for policy coordination and resource sharing across the state.
UNM Gallup assembled visiting directors for the retreat where members of the Cha’Be’Tu Apache Sweethearts and other Indigenous performers presented traditional songs and dances. The cultural program gave visiting leaders a first hand look at local heritage while also highlighting the campus library's expanding role as both an educational and community hub. Campus leaders praised Chavez's work transforming Zollinger Library into a center for students and community members, a shift consistent with broader trends that emphasize libraries as engines of digital inclusion, workforce support, and civic programming.
Chavez brings formal training and local ties to the role. He holds a Master of Library Information and Science from the University of Arizona and returns to the statewide stage as a Gallup native with a background in community engagement. As president of the consortium's Executive Committee he will help shape coordinated positions that affect licensing of electronic resources, interlibrary lending practices, and collaborative grant initiatives. Those coordinated decisions can produce economies of scale for academic libraries and improve access to research and digital materials for students and residents in McKinley County.
For local audiences the appointment signals potential benefits in several areas. Greater consortium coordination can mean expanded interlibrary loan options, more predictable access to academic databases for UNM Gallup students, and increased visibility for cultural programming that draws visitors and supports local partnerships. The retreat itself demonstrated how cultural presentation and library policy work can be paired to strengthen community ties.
Chavez's presidency positions Zollinger Library and UNM Gallup as an active voice in shaping library practice across New Mexico, with implications for resource access, collaborative funding, and the cultural role of libraries in McKinley County.
