La biblioteca students

By Jesús Ibarra. Atención San Miguel staff

For more than 50 years, La Biblioteca has served the community of San Miguel by supporting education and providing cultural opportunities to the community. The Biblioteca is part of the lives of thousands of residents and visitors in San Miguel. Students alone borrow approximately 800 books every month, while cultural events at La Biblioteca during tourist seasons are attended by more than 1,600 people per week.

La Biblioteca has not been exempt from last year’s financial crisis and its expenses continue. Last year’s expenses totaled 11.6 million pesos and include the salary of 48 employees.

A nonprofit organization, La Biblioteca relies solely on membership fees, donations and revenue from its enterprises. People help the Biblioteca not only by becoming members (more than 600 foreigners hold yearly memberships) but also by volunteering for one of its many programs, buying the weekly newspaper Atención San Miguel, taking part in the Sunday House and Garden Tour, eating lunch at Café Santa Ana, attending a movie or play in the Teatro Santa Ana, or making purchases at La Tienda and the Bodega de Sorpresas.

The building was given free of charge to the Biblioteca by the federal government for a period of 99 years with the stipulation the nonprofit maintain the building at its own expense.

The Biblioteca’s Board of Directors, including its new president, Dale Eby, is working hard to launch new donor and volunteer programs. The board is also organizing fundraising events to help with expenses.

According to the chief librarian of La Biblioteca, Juan Manuel Fajardo, the library’s collection includes books in English and Spanish as well as some in French and German. “We have books on a wide range of subjects, from novels and classics, history and biography, art and architecture and textbooks to books for children,” he says

Kathleen Ellsworth, volunteer for the English book collection, organize sales of especially valuable or desirable books to benefit the library. “Sometimes I have some very high-quality hardcover books, fiction, history and biography. Most of those are around 50 pesos, first editions in very good shape,” she comments.

These special book sales usually take place over four weekends during the high season in February, March and April, and two weekends in the fall. “My first sale earned about 9,000 peso, and my last sale brought in 2,000 pesos” smiles Ellsworth “From March last year to March this year, sales brought in over 70,000 pesos.”

The work of volunteers such as Ellsworth generates much needed and appreciated income for La Biblioteca.

The Scholarship Program

The Biblioteca’s scholarship program is one of the institution’s most important contributions to the community. Some students who were former scholarship recipients have gone on to become outstanding citizens, such as historian Graciela Cruz, who compiled the historical dossier that was part of San Miguel’s application to become a UNESCO World Heritage site.

According to former scholarship coordinator, Luisa Velte, “when the library began in the 1950s, education above primary level was available only to those who could afford to pay for private schools in San Miguel. The founders of the Biblioteca were aware of the large population of educationally deprived children.”

Currently, the scholarship program is coordinated by Kelvia Cervantes Niño de Ford and architect Daniela Hernández. “I think one of the easiest ways to change a community is through education,” comments Cervantes. “To the extent that we support education in a community, that community will progress.”

The high school scholarship program applies only to students in rural communities; however the university scholarship program applies to both city and rural students. Students awarded university scholarships can study outside the city or even outside the state. The minimum grade point average required for these scholarships is 8.5.

Cervantes and Hernández report volunteers are scarce. “About 10 volunteers help us during the interviews, but dwindle down during other parts of the year. One of our greatest needs is more volunteers to help us better organize our database of the students we are supporting.”

Funds for the scholarships come from earmarked private donations, from sales at the Bodega de Sorpresas and from funds set aside in a bank account. Five percent of the gross income from the Biblioteca’s enterprises is allocated to the scholarship program. Board President Eby reports the board is proposing this five percent go not only toward the scholarships but toward all the youth programs. This will be decided through a vote later in the summer.

Youth Science Club

One of the programs for children and youth that La Biblioteca offers is the Science Club, directed by Rita de Brito, also a volunteer member on the Board of Directors. According to De Brito, the Science Club gives children the opportunity to take control of their own education. “Confronting children with challenges allows them to find their own solutions and open their minds; using their creativity and curiosity they develop their own opinions and ideas,” she says. The Science Club is for children from ages eight through 12. “Our club is free, and currently we have between 12 and 20 children attending each Saturday from 10am to 12pm,” said De Brito. “During the summer, the club meets Monday through Friday.”

She sees La Biblioteca as an important cultural center where children who may not be used to reading can see other people reading and understand that there are other ways to learn. “Everybody I know uses the library. There is something for everyone in the Biblioteca,” she said.

Teatro Santa Ana

La Biblioteca is different from other nonprofits in San Miguel is that it also uses revenue from its various enterprises.

Teatro Santa Ana, along with the adjoining Sala Quetzal, provides the community with a space where people can present lectures, movies, book launches, concerts and plays.

According to José Luis Mendoza, director of the Art and Culture Department of the Biblioteca, while it is worthwhile to come to La Biblioteca for cultural enrichment, the important thing is the money people spend there goes to benefit education and the scholarship program for children. “Other movie houses in the city might charge 40 pesos, which go to enrich a businessman’s pocket. Although Teatro Santa Ana charges 60 pesos for movies, the money goes to educate a child,” comments Mendoza.

Some of the artists or speakers who perform in the theater or in Sala Quetzal donate all the proceeds to the Biblioteca while others give a percentage. “One example is Guillermo Méndez, a retired teacher from the US, who gives different lectures on pre-Hispanic and Mexican history,” says Mendoza “Professor Méndez promoted one of the workshops for children we give, the pre-Hispanic Music Workshop. With his portion of the income from his lectures, he sponsors the workshop, paying for all the expenses it generates, including the teacher’s wages.”

For all of its benefits to the community and the library, Teatro Santa Ana has had its share of challenges. An air conditioner was funded with generous gift of US$17,500 from an anonymous donor. Another challenge facing the theater is its limited seating capacity. Although there were plans for increasing seating capacity, the project has been postponed due to budget restraints.

Atención San Miguel

In 1975, the Biblioteca launched Atención San Miguel, a weekly newspaper in English that over the years has become the most widely read local newspaper in San Miguel. Many of its articles appear in both English and Spanish, including the front page. Besides offering information, entertaining and advertising, the main source of income for the newspaper, Atención supports the city by promoting tourism and local activities through its supplement Que Pasa. In 2009, with net revenue of more than 2.4 million pesos, Atención was the enterprise that brought in the most income for La Biblioteca. Currently, 11 of the 48 employees of La Biblioteca work at Atención.

House and Garden Tour

Another enterprise of the Biblioteca is the House and Garden Tour, which began in 1957. The tour has always been considered the best way to get a glimpse behind the anonymous walls concealing the private life of the town. About 300 homes and gardens are visited during the year coordinated by tour director Jennifer Hamilton. In 2009, the House and Garden Tour generated a net income of more than 500,000 pesos. The House and Garden Tour has been recognized worldwide in magazines, radio, television and The New York Times.

Other Sources of Income

In addition to the affiliated businesses outlined above, La Biblioteca engages in other enterprises, including La Tienda, where shoppers can purchase books, newspapers, art and souvenirs; Café Santa Ana; and the Bodega de Sorpresas, a weekly sale of used goods and clothing along with second-hand books.

La Biblioteca Fast Facts

Book collection: 59,900 books

Scholarships granted (2009–2010): 237 (127 for college, 110 for high school)

Scholarship program total expenses (2009–2010): 972,000 pesos

Scholarship amounts: 3,000 pesos for college; 500 for high school

For donations or to volunteer at the Biblioteca, see General Manager Michel Amanton at the Biblioteca or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it