Locals and visitors often refer to the Patagonia Public Library as one of the gems of our community. But the library, opening its doors back in 1957, has struggled in recent years. Setbacks came with the shutdown during COVID-19 as well as funding and staffing issues after the longtime library director, Abbie Zeltzer, retired. Currently, not only is the library hopefully in recovery mode, but a generous donation from an avid fan of the library has generated new enthusiasm.
Patagonia Town Manager Ron Robinson confirmed that the town has received $400,000 from a trust set up by Patagonia resident Judith Whitcomb, who died in 2025 at the age of 87, and her husband, Robert Whitcomb, who died in 2007.
The executors of Judith Whitcomb’s estate, her brother Robert and his wife, Bonnie Leach, said that the couple set up two trusts before his death. His trust was to benefit his children from previous marriages and her trust was to be evenly distributed among the Patagonia Public Library, The Wilderness Society, The Nature Conservancy and family members.
Judith Whitcomb did not specify how the library donation was to be used, the Leaches said.
Steven Finch, treasurer of the Friends of the Patagonia Library, learned about the donation from Bonnie Leach and directed her to Robinson, he said.
At first, Robinson said, he understood that the library would receive $200,000.
“You know, when I was told about it being possibly $200,000, it was kind of like, well, my goodness. But when we got double that, it was a big wow,” he said.
The money is being held in a secure account, Linda Shore, director of the library, told the Library Advisory Board during its April meeting. The recently reorganized seven-member board only has power to advise the town manager and library director on operations, staffing and programming. The Friends of the Patagonia Library is a fundraising organization that supports the library but has no authority over its operations.
“The $400,000 that we received as a donation from Judith has gone into the Library Reserves Account created for library capital improvement that is held with other town funds,” Shore told the board. “We have said it will be used for the infrastructure.”
While there are potential projects, none are urgent and so the money will be left in the account to earn interest of about 4% for the time being, she said.
The board agreed that the money should be used solely for capital projects, not operations. The board’s chair, Sarah Klingenstein, suggested that the fund or the interest it generates could be used as a rainy-day fund for emergency capital projects.
Robinson said the library does need renovations. Some leaky windows caused flooding along one hallway, and the windows are not energy efficient. One project could entail ripping out the rotten lumber, replacing the windows with smaller, energy-efficient windows and installing bookshelves for the books being sold by the Friends of the Patagonia Library, Robinson said.
“Then, we remodel the front by pushing the front out about 4 feet and creating a direct access from outside into the restrooms, so that the library does not have to be open to people who are renting Cady Hall,” he added. “So, the first idea is to leave the money in the reserve account, which it’s already there making – it’s making 4% – and use the interest off the first year’s income to do design for this project.”
Once a project has been picked and a design is completed, the community will be invited to comment, Robinson said. It would be about two years before work might start, he added, saying that the project could cost around $125,000. But because the money would not be touched for a few years, it would grow thanks to the interest it accrues.
In expressing gratitude for the donation, members of the Friends of the Patagonia Library emphasized that it does not change the need for public support of book sales and fundraising.
“Some may think that now the library doesn’t need donations,” board member Deb Klosterman said. “We see the $400,000 as putting the library in a great position, but we will still need to generate separate funds for books and resources. Last year, Friends accounted for 23% of the total library budget. That need will not be changed by Judith’s gift.”
A former library employee who asked not to be identified said that Judith was a regular visitor to the Patagonia Public Library.
“She arrived weekly balancing a bag of books in each hand to exchange for new ones to fulfill her voracious reading appetite,” the former employee said.
Judith, a big fan of Scrabble, attended many evening programs and especially loved the library’s bimonthly Music Jams and Adult Coloring program. She also attended a multitude of humanities programs and was a proponent of the library’s partnerships with local nonprofit organizations.
Judith’s gift of $400,000 ” speaks volumes about her love for this community,” said Carolyn Shafer, who, along with Judith, Susan Corl and Gary Romig, owned and managed Creative Spirit Artists Gallery, now called Patagonia Trading Post.
Those who knew her say that she focused on fine art, community-based collaboration and education, often exploring themes related to the American Southwest.
Bonnie Leach agreed that Judith felt strongly about the library, the community and the ecology of Patagonia.
Her gift, Robinson said, “highlights the importance of our library in the lives of individuals.”
“When you look at the impact that library had on Judith, it shows,” he said. “We often talk about it being the jewel of our town, and I think this shows the truth of that.”
For more information about the library, visit patagoniapubliclibrary.org/history/history.
Pila Martinez contributed to this article.
Judith Whitcomb, editor and writer
Judith Whitcomb was born in New Jersey in August 1938. Her father worked for the State Department, and her mother was on the staff of a U.S. senator. She graduated from Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, in 1956 and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree at William & Mary. She had a distinguished career of over 30 years in Langley, Virginia, working with the Central Intelligence Agency as the editor-in-chief of the agency newsletter. As part of her duties, she presented the Morning Brief for many U.S. presidents. She retired in 1996.
Judith married Dr. Robert Whitcomb in 1982, and the couple lived in Potomac, Maryland. After her retirement, the couple built a home on 69 acres on Adobe Canyon Road near Patagonia, and traded time between there and a place in West Virginia. As years passed, they spent the bulk of their time in Arizona. They both wrote, publishing one book together in 2005 titled “It Seems Like Only Yesterday.” Robert wrote another book, “In Praise of the Spirit,” in 2007 and dedicated it “to Judith who has made every Dream possible.”
Robert was a renowned research entomologist at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center who identified more than 50 new species of leafhoppers and about 60 new species of microorganisms. Once in Arizona, he became immersed in local birding and ecology, while Judith’s interest grew in many different directions.
“Judith started doing all kinds of arts and crafts from paper making to beadwork to needlepoint sewing. She appreciated Patagonia and so many of the people who helped her in later years,” her brother Robert said. The Leaches particularly wanted to thank Matthew Hendriks, Jared Krikorian and Mindy Lareau for their help during Judith’s long illness.
When the Whitcombs moved to Patagonia, they brought one tradition with them that everyone who knew them still talks about: their distinctive Christmas parties. Phyllis Klosterman remembers them as lavish.
“Judith baked lots of cookies and others brought finger food. The house was decorated in every corner, and there were many decorated live trees throughout the house.” she said, adding that guests were assigned parts in a reading of Dylan Thomas’ “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.”