2013 Project Goals

Librarian Stipend

In 2012 we  funded a qualified librarian for the Asturias Academy in Guatemala. Due to the success of this work in 2012, LWB has helped to recruit, fund, and support another volunteer Librarian for the  Asturias Library in 2012-13. This funded librarian will continue with training, implementing reading programs and transitioning the Library — with the help of the local teacher-librarian- to a fully operational lending model. Read the job posting (now filled) for the Volunteer School Librarian.

Library Lending Project

We are working with Asturias to implement a library lending system for their students and staff.  This is a significant milestone we’ve reached: in Guatemala there are very few lending libraries, usually one can read the books only in the library.  We are selecting and implementing a software system that will track and manage library loans, defining a cataloging standard, selecting and implementing additional hardware and software needed to support the lending system, developing policies and workflows for library lending with Asturias staff, and training library staff to use and maintain the lending systems and equipment.

Offering lending privileges provides free access to information resources for Asturias students, their families and the wider community. It will provide opportunities for students and their families to engage in reading activities at home and after school hours, fostering strong literacy skills and a love for reading.

Information Literacy Project

As library advocates know, information literacy bridges a library and its users. For the Asturias community to take full advantage of the reading opportunities offered by the library, intentional programs need to be designed to help users develop comfort with resources, services, and the space. With that in mind, this year we are promoting students’ information literacy (IL) skills by continuing to create programs for students to develop those skills and by providing materials for teachers and library volunteers to use in their teaching. We are creating a framework and presenting practical ideas on how information literacy skills —  beyond just basic literacy– can be embedded in the Asturias curriculum. The programs we are developing in support of information literacy include an extensive  IL package for teachers, a library day outreach program for students and teachers, and workshops on how to find, borrow, and care for books in support of the new lending system.

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