“I volunteer in the library each week to help the teachers with the Early Stimulation Class, and really enjoy working with little kids. I am only 15, but I have decided that I would like to work as a pre-school teacher because of my experience at the library.” -Dora, IHF Scholarship Student
*Lending Books: Three books for toddler book bags.
**Traveling Library: Supports one month of operations.
The Puerta Abierta (Open Door) Library offers creative learning opportunities to the children of Santiago Atitlán through their after school enrichment programs, reading hours, homework help, and the traveling library, which spreads the joy of reading even to the most remote parts of Santiago.
Over the past year, in addition to serving the public as a library, La Biblioteca Puerta Abierta has evolved into a true community center, a space where local scholarship groups gather, where mothers bring their toddlers for games and activities, and where teachers meet. The library currently serves over 800 students on a weekly basis. Many of the programs are offered in the library space, but in addition, Puerta Abierta now has a partnership with the local preschool to bring weekly reading activities to six classes, the traveling library now works with five community rural schools, and the new “Mommy and Me” classes are exposing toddlers and their mothers to the benefits of early education and stimulation.
2009 Catalog - Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala
