It's Busy!

(May 24, 2002)

My goodness, it's been a long time since I wrote to tell you what goes with the new library. My excuse is that I've been busy, but the library staff and the library itself have been even busier.

This table is near the front with the checkout desk to the left and the section of primary school reference books right behind the far end. The tables were built for 10 chairs, five to a side, but you can see how they get bunched up. Some at the ends and maybe an extra one squeezed in on one side or the other. Today, the cabinetmaker delivered 30 more chairs so we now have 100. I think the next order to be filled is for some more bookshelves, or maybe it's a table or two.

In March the books we bought with your money in New York arrived, 66 boxes. For the last two months much time has been spent classifying, listing in the computer, labelling and shelving. Bill, my husband, has spent four or five hours a day helping, and this afternoon there are now only 5 more boxes to open. But a shipment of 23 boxes from Perma- Bound are in Guatemala city trying to get loose from the customs people. Bill says that this afternoon the computer shows just over 5,400 titles with almost 8,500 volumes. The burned-out collection was 5,970-something titles and 8,002 volumes. This picture is of Elisa Cacrúm, a volunteer who has worked 20 to 25 hours a week.

Since Bill has been there so much, he's the source for most of my information. He says that Clifford the Big Red Dog is the most popular set of books in the library. Norman Bridwell, the author, sent a complete set with his autograph. Many individuals and schools sent Clifford books. We bought Clifford books, and that means we probably have 10 copies of each title with variations. Different sizes, bilingual. Bill says that he's seen children return a Clifford book borrowed the day before and within minutes they're back at the checkout counter with Clifford books they haven't read yet. That's what these two boys did. Alicia Anleu is the library attendant with the big smile. This picture is going to Mr. Bridwell as well as to you.

Another activity has been purchasing and hanging examples of the handmade clothing worn by many Mayan women. This model shows ceremonial dress for Panajachel in years past. The blouse is called a guipil, the skirt a corte, and the belt a cinta. One doesn't see clothes this fancy very often, but the normal Panajachel guipil is quite beautiful--red with alternating rows of purple cats and birds. The corte is like this one, but with less fancy embroidery. Around the room we have hung cintas from various places and all-purpose cloths called tzutes. We'll have guipils from most of the villages around the lake before we're through, as well as some beautiful ones from elsewhere. They'll all be labeled and the library will be doubling as a museum. But the real reason was to soften the echo of many voices bouncing off flat walls and columns. It's working, too.

The library intends to attract one and all. This boy came with his mother and became restive. Norma Guzmán, the librarian, pulled out a box of stuffed toys that came from various schools in the US and he promptly dumped them all on his head, then played until his mother was ready to go. This girl found an interesting book and an oversized chair for her stay. Another girl stands patiently at the table where her mother is studying. This activity is new for the library in Panajachel--mothers going to school--junior high, high, and university--and studying at the library. And we see a lot of young married couples coming in to study or to check out books for themselves or their children. Bill told me of a couple with a boy about 4 who spent some time at the children's shelves then more at the adult shelves. She checked out a book on asthma for herself and a picture book for her boy.

The nine computers are in steady use--students mostly. Some are studying computer use and programming and they do their homework. Some use the computers to do their regular course homework, education in Guatemala consisting for the main in copying something from a book and turning it in. It is quite common to see one student reading from a library book and another typing the words into the computer. They print two copies and both have done their homework. We also have townspeople coming in to make a new menu for a restaurant, flier for a church service, notice of a raffle. The computers are networked so they can use the common laser printer.

In the first days of March the librarians began reissuing borrowers cards. Before the fire there were just over 2,000 in use. All records were lost, thus the new cards. Norma said that there are now 1,300 in use as of this afternoon. Almost all of them are issued to niños, children, as Norma puts it. But there are a growing number of adults who have the cards and use them for themselves and some for their young children. It has become a practice for an entire class in one of the schools to be notified that they can get borrowers cards, so that afternoon they gang into the library, get their cards, run to the shelves for a Clifford, and get out the door with their new prizes--a card and a book. Norma, here, has a crowd waiting for their cards. It takes a bit of time because she records their parents names, addresses, phone numbers, and advises the children that the parents should sign the back of the card so they know what's going on.

We have a lot of pictures to show you, but there are so many now it takes forever for the library page to load in your computer. So here is a sprinkling in small sizes--a table surrounded by studying teenagers with the bookshelves for adults and upper grades behind them; a beautiful girl with a Marcus Pfister book; a boy in deep study; three boys at work. Bill and I are leaving tomorrow for a trip to Virginia for the high school graduation of granddaughter Jessica Cherry. She'll be attending James Madison University in the fall. Back in time to join in the book shelving which seems will never end--I guess it really should never end in a good library. And thanks to all of you maybe it never will, not here in Panajachel nor in the other new libraries near here. We already have purchased books at a sale by the Spanish publisher Santillana for five new libraries which are struggling.

 

It's Open!

(February 20, 2002)

Monday afternoon was spent cleaning the library after the crowd trooped through following the ribbon cutting ceremony. So there was no chance for the students to begin using it--but Tuesday was a different story. The best way to tell it is with pictures, and here are some from Tuesday and Wednesday.

Two boys about 10 said to me Monday night, "Mil gracias por la biblioteca." That's, "A thousand thanks for the library," and they all go to you.

(February 18, 2002)

Today was the day we've been waiting for. About 6 this morning the construction fence came down and we could see the whole building for the first time--and it's still hard to take a picture of.

By 8 city workers began putting up a platform for the fiesta set for 9. From this view you can see down the short street going toward the market. The old library was at the far end of the new building--about half of the frontage

A bit later the platform was done and covered with pine needles, the traditional symbol for a fiesta in Guatemala. The building is seen down the long side.

Inside, final decorations were added--mainly balloons. Alicia Anleu is carrying the whole flotilla into the new librarian's station that was installed only a week ago. The bookshelves along that wall hold the books for young children, close by the librarians' eyes so they can see when help is needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The balloons were tied to new pencils and allowed to float over the table--presents for the first children who came in after the ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile outside, a marimba band--father and three sons--set up on the platform and began entertaining the assembling crowd.

School children marched up and began to fill the streets.

Individuals always stand out in a crowd, like this little girl with her bright eyes and winning smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or this mother and her son, she with the traditional blouse of Guatemala, called a guipil, and he with clothes worn by children in the United States. Styles and culture are changing.

With the crowd almost filling the street, it was time to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All ceremonies in Guatemala begin with the presentation of the flag, carried by student who has the highest grade level in his class.

The first speaker was Louise Eidsmoe from St. Paul who is president of Lake Atitlan Libraries, Inc. She took vacation time (it's warm here and cold there) to come for this celebration. On behalf of all donors everywhere, she told the crowd how pleased you are to help rebuild the library. That's me on her left, I was the next speaker.

After the speeches, the city council gave popsicles to every kid, and here some share with their teacher, Enio Urizar, who is also the alcalde--the mayor. To me, it is a measure of his stature as a human that his students did this. Some even kissed his cheek.

Then it was time to cut the ribbon and open the doors officially. Enio is announcing on the radio, tv, and sound system that the building is dedicated to all the people of Panajachel. That's me on the left, and on the right is Carlos Bracamonte who was alcalde when construction started a year ago.

That's all for today. I'm tired and its time for siesta. More in the days to come. Thank you, each one of you, for making this day possible.

(January 20, 2002)

It's official. The city council picked February 18, 2002, at 9 a.m. as the formal opening time for the new Biblioteca Popular de Panajachel. The agenda hasn't been set, but all the schools have been asked to prepare skits or other presentations to entertain the parents. No doubt the alcalde (mayor) will make a speech and maybe some of the consejo (city council) might also. When it's my turn to talk, I will give thanks to all of you in many parts of the world for your wonderful support in the rebirth of the library. It would be grand if some (or all) of you could come down and join the celebration.

Right now, and for the next few weeks, the big activity is classifying, labeling, and shelving all the books that have been stored awaiting shelf space. Now we have it, 25 bookcases 2 meters high and one meter wide, and 10 bookcases 1.5 meters high and one meter wide. There are tables and chairs--five new tables that can seat 10 people, plus the ones that were used in the temporary library--and 75 new chairs. There are 8 computer desks. All the new furniture is made of solid cypress by a local cabinetmaker and it is beautiful.

A shipment of books from the US is now in Guatemala and will be delivered any day now after the officials in Panajachel finish arguing with officials in the Guatemalan customs about the value added tax the customs wants to collect. There are about 2,000 books in that shipment, bought with money donated by school children, parents, friends, and the Public Welfare Foundation of Washington, D.C. Here are some pictures of the interior as we are working on the books. The photographer happened by a half-hour before volunteers came to label the books that had been classified and listed in the computer, so it looks barer than it does most of the time. By the way, the library is closed while the book shelving goes on, but some students come by anyway and Norma finds the books they need and clears space on a table for them to work. We can't show you a picture of the outside because the city won't remove the construction fence until just before opening day.

This is my husband, Bill, laying out books in alphabetical order on a table. The books have been classified and entered into the computer list, the labels have been printed. Volunteers will match the labels to the books and soon they'll be on the shelves. Against the back wall are the seven computers for patron use. They will be networked with the librarian's computer and the laser printer to be located near the front door of the library.

 

This is Alicia Anleu who had worked for the library for a number of years and volunteered during the lean months after the fire. She joined the city payroll at the beginning of January. She is standing behind the temporary workstation for the computer listing and label making. Behind her are six of the big bookcases, filled with reference books. The wall is directly across from the librarian's control station beside the front door. The tables are pine bought in the market for use in the temporary library, not the new cypress ones. The computer is on one of the desks made by the local cabinetmaker.

When we get a little further along with our bookkeeping in a few days, we want to report to you how much money you sent and what we did with it. And we will be able to tell you how many books you sent--you'll be amazed. Watch this space in the next week or so.

(November 7, 2001)

Two weeks ago, the new library building being built by the city government looked like this behind the metal construction fence. The powers that be say it will be finished by the end of the month, but I wouldn't bet on it. The floor is being installed now, a very nice light pink tile. Yet to be finished are the wiring and electrical fixture installation, the plumbing fixtures in the bathrooms, the windows and doors--at least.

But in the meantime, we received a signed explanation in English and Spanish about how readers at the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Charlottesville, VA, raised $1,700 in their summer reading program. This long strip is hard to read online, but it is displayed in the temporary library.

Friends of the Del Mar, CA, Library and a friend, Pari Berk, sent $1,050 to help rebuild the library. We also received checks from Anna Polowetzky of New York City, Kevin Coleman of Madison, WI, honoring the marriage of an old friend who I thought would never marry, and $520 from Cooper Mountain Elementary School in Beaverton, OR, honoring Karen Wedeking, Library/Media Specialist at the school, for her dedication and outstanding service to children.

Students at Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology in Albany, NY, collected a mountain of bottles and cans for recycling and donated the proceeds to Panajachel's children. They ordered books from Lectorum in New York, the company matched the contribution, and the books are on the way to Guatemala. Bill and I helped Teresa Mlawer at Lectorum select the books when we were in New York the week after the terrorist disaster.

For those who wonder about our board of directors, here they are at their summer meeting in Wisconsin in July. They are, left to right, Mary Norman Hamidge, President Louise Eidsmoe, Teresa Cameron, Howard Cameron, Jeri Brost, and Rory Cameron. Howard and Rory are my cousins and Teresa is Howard's wife.

If you want to see the year-long web page with details and pictures of the rebirth of Biblioteca Popular de Panajachel, click here.