ALAMOSA – A Denver-area couple with connections in the San Luis Valley are cleaning out their library as many in the golden years do.

Dick and Irma Munz, both 85, of Thornton have an SLV connection as they are friends of Alamosan Erin Smith. Munz was Smith’s late husband Palmer’s Air Force buddy during the Korean War. Both men were stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in the Denver area when they met.  Their friendship continued up to Smith’s death in 2004 and has continued with his widow.

In an email to Erin this week, Irma said: “I know you are a Friend of the Alamosa library, and asking your help.... We are working at clearing off our shelves, closets, storage sheds, etc. -- so the kids don’t have to do something with all our stuff when we disappear… I’d consider it a donation to the memory of Palmer,” who was a life member of the Friends of the Library and helped with many book sales until his death.

Alamosa library head Salai Taylor said the books the Munzes want to donate are already on their shelves and they don’t need second copies.

Irma noted, “I am wishing that some of these books could be useful to a general library public. For instance, Bruce Catton’s 3-volume history of the Civil War, “The Army of the Potomac”;  an 8-volume set of classics like “the Picture of Dorian Gray” and “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”; Milton Cross’s “Encyclopedia of the Great Composers and Their Music,” etc.  And picture books from our travels -- like to Scandinavia and Spain --I know that the travel books can become dated.”

Erin Smith said she would be willing to bring the books back from Denver for donation to a San Luis Valley library. If a library is interested, please contact her at 719-589-6161 and leave a message. The books will be donated on a first-come, first-served basis.