We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. BiblioWorks is excited about the New Year and improving our literacy and library initiatives in Bolivia and the Asheville, NC area. In 2011 we saw an extremely positive increase in donations and volunteer support. READ MORE
In collaboration with CIES a local organization that works in sexual health and education, BiblioWorks organized a day long workshop with teenagers in the Morado K’asa library to discuss sexual education.READ MORE
It was the perfect fall weather for a backyard party this past Saturday, Nov 5th in Asheville, NC. A clear night, stars, no wind, but indeed quite chilly. BiblioWorks’ board member John Carzoli was willing enough to let us use his backyard, and his family! Yes!, even the Carzoli family got involved in preparing 2 huge pots of chili and platters of delicious cornbread to keep everyone warm.READ MORE
Adults reading pamphlets about the importance of education
BiblioWorks has been working hard this year to promote each of our libraries in the communities. All of our libraries are public; however most of the people who visit them are children, high school students and teachers. This year we have been creating strategies to attract adults to use our libraries.READ MORE
School Principals sign the sustainability agreement
This year BiblioWorks is focusing on making our libraries sustainable and leaving them in the capable hands of local governments and community leaders. By the end of 2011 we will leave behind the Municipal Library in Villa Serrano. BiblioWorks has worked in Villa Serrano since 2007 when the library was inaugurated. The library is a cultural center where many children, teachers and other community members go every day.READ MORE
Parents learn about the educational games in the library
Recently BiblioWorks organized a day-long activity with parents whose kids visit the library in Yamparáez . Unfortunately we have not worked much with adults as most of the library users in all of the towns are children or high-school students. The activity involved a brief introduction to the benefits of literacy and education and then some activities to motivate the parents to read about the things they enjoy doing. It was a huge success and the parents left wanting to learn more.READ MORE
Teachers create their own stories from picture books
This week BiblioWorks held a one-day workshop for teachers in Tomina. The BiblioWorks staff worked with forty-two teachers offering them innovative reading activities for their classrooms. The workshop was designed so that the teachers would have new and creative strategies to get kids to read, no matter what subject they teach. The forty-two teachers ranged from kindergarten through twelfth grade and we were able to work in small groups so they were free to design activities based on the level they teach.READ MORE
Some of the bookmarks being made in Tomina
Libraries are a wonderful place not only for curling up and reading a good book, but also for cultural activities. Even though our eight libraries in Bolivia are small, there are many kids that go every day to do their homework, read, play games, and learn how to use the computer. Each librarian also offers a variety of different activities ranging from arts and crafts to reading games.READ MORE
Guillermo shares a cup of “chicha” with community members in Morado K’asa
We are always happy to have volunteers here at BiblioWorks in Sucre, Bolivia. They bring new ideas, hard work and a true desire to help people in situations less fortunate than their own. For the past month “Guillermo,” from France has been with us here at the BiblioWorks office. Although he got the chance to go to our library in Morado K’asa and see all of the kids pour into the library to read and watch the cultural festival organized by the teen-agers, he was mainly working here at the office, helping out with some very important administrative tasks.READ MORE
Our table at the exposition
This past week BiblioWorks participated in an exposition fair with other non-profit organizations in the city of Sucre. The fair was organized by an organization called C.I.M.E.T. which works with child workers who work on the streets of Sucre. BiblioWorks participated in a press conference, presented a short power point presentation about our work supporting literacy and gave people some interactive ways to encourage literacy and reading habits in children.
The librarian in traditional indigenous dress for the town festival
Last week the entire BiblioWorks team traveled to our oldest library in Morado K’asa to celebrate their town’s anniversary. When we arrived we were greeted warmly by the librarian and other community members with some “chicha” the local corn beer, which is drank during important festivals. The town organized several different parties showcasing some of the typical indigenous dances, music and food.
Schoolgirls outside our newest library in Tomina, Bolivia
BiblioWorks is proud to have been chosen to host a big tent in the childrens’ village at the popular 3-day LEAF festival this coming weekend! (the festival is located in Black Mountain, NC)READ MORE
BiblioWorks is excited to announce the opening of our eighth library in rural Bolivia! The newest member of the BiblioWorks family is located in the town of Tomina, which is about 100 kilometers from the city of Sucre. It is a small town, with beautiful green hills and a peaceful river.
Kids being entertained before the ceremony READ MORE
WE ARE 2 WEEKS AWAY FROM OPENING OUR TOMINA LIBRARY!
Thank you to all of our committed readers and especially to those of you who have supported us over the past couple months to make the Tomina Library a reality. Our staff in Bolivia has been working diligently with the local government and schools in the town of Tomina, and we are very excited to announce that the library will officially open on February 14th, 2011! READ MORE
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about stories. I read an excellent book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, by Donald Miller. In his book, Miller reports being approached by movie producers who wanted to write a story about his life. But in writing that story, they realized that his character is not very sellable for a movie. They begin to make him a “better character”, by giving him conflict, good looks, and worthwhile struggles in life. READ MORE
