Ernie Pyle Library

Charming neighborhood library, Ernie Pyle, sits on the corner of Girald and Santa Monica. Park on the street, cross the lawn, and take the last few steps up into the tiny house where shelves lining the walls are so full with books the wall itself can’t be seen.
Walk past the librarian sitting at the counter to return books in the kitchen. The return truck resides opposite the kitchen sink. This ritual along with inhabiting such a limited space creates a type of intimacy unimaginable at the Main Library downtown.
A nice mixture of classics and fresh babies hot off the New York Times Best Sellers list, the selection is ultimately limited, although any requested book can be picked up or returned here through the ABC library system.
The self-​checkout machine presents a quick out for that spontaneous pick. The librarian is less than five feet away, but checking out electronically suddenly feels safer when getting a 600 plus page biography on Norman Mailer, that might but probably won’t be read. A no questions, no judgement path towards free education. Visit your local branch of the library today!

If you’re a fan of Ernie Pyle, but San Pietro and Ie Shima are too far to journey, then Ernie’s home in Albuquerque may just be the best way for you to connect a little with his personal history. The Pyle’s last home before Ernie’s death by Japanese MG fire in 1945, Ernie built the home himself and loved to sit on the porch with his Sheltie, Cheetah, and marvel at the grandiose vistas of New Mexico. Cheetah is buried on the property and the views are now obstructed by other neighborhood homes, but a visitor can easily get a sense of the tranquil home life the famed chronicler of life for US troops during the Second World War yearned for while overseas.
Albuquerque preserved the home in 1948 and made it into a working library while retaining as much of the original character as possible. On-​site librarians double as docents and readily point out the vintage photos and mementoes from Ernie’s life. Be sure to check the hours in advance and take along a copy of «Brave Men» so that you too can sit on the porch, enjoy the atmosphere, and read a passage or two of Ernie’s wonderful prose.
R.I.P. Ernie. And, thanks for everything.

The Ernie Pyle Library has a lot of history to offer regarding Ernie Pyle. My daughter wants to become a journalist, so it is intriguing to her to visit this house. Since the Ernie Pyle location is part of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County (ABC) Library system, any book in all of the branches can be requested to be sent to this particular location. There are two public computers that may be used here, and all you need is a library card to use one of the two computers. The workers are nice and useful too, and the few times that I had questions, the staff members on duty were able meet or go beyond my call for help. Then, there are outside areas to read, so I like that although the space may be limited indoors, the outdoor space is just as pleasant. This humble (yet full of Ernie Pyle history) library is just the right size for the residential neighborhood. I really am a fan of this library.

The place to go for research on the local history.