Programs

LENDING TO SCHOOLS

Through the Book Exchange Program, Puedo Leer delivers two bags of 15 books to 24 public schools in the Granada area every two weeks. The bags are rotated around the schools during the school year, from February to November. This provides a new book every day to each teacher to read aloud to the students respectively. We also offer classes to the teachers on how to read aloud, which is important because most of these schools had no books, and many of the teachers had never been read aloud to.

READING IN THE PARK

Time: Saturdays 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Central Park, Granada. In front of the Cathedral.

In Latin American countries, the Central Park serves as the area for many of a city’s activities. Knowing this, we started the reading in the park program to provide children with the opportunity to read and be read to by a librarian every Saturday, weather permitting. The librarian goes with bags of books, a large market basket, and cushions to sit on and the children gather round. Anyone can come, free of charge. 

READING CORNER AT HOTEL CON CORAZON

Time: Thursday-Saturday 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM; Saturday 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: The corner of Santa Lucia and Guzman Streets

Hotel con Corazon is very supportive of Puedo Leer and provides a room with street access as a reading corner. Our “rincon” does not lend out books but it does have books available, and it provides a safe, supportive place for children to read or be read to by a librarian. Librarians and volunteers offer other activities whenever possible, including homework assistance. 

BOOK CLUB

Time:  Saturdays at 9:30am, except Holidays
Location: Biblioteca El Pantanal

The book club regularly meets at the Pantanal library, where Kristin Fuller introduces a book series, proposes how to be responsible for the books and sets goals for the children. In return, they can reach their goals and have incentives along the way. She rotates book series and strives to get the kids hooked on reading. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the most recent series the children have read.

BIBLIOTECAULAS

When we receive special, targeted donations, we can put bibliotecaulas into schools in remote areas. A bibliotecaula is a lockable cupboard with 100 books that we donate to a school or project. To receive this, the staff and the administrator participate in a full day workshop to learn how to read aloud to a group of children. They are also taught how books should be organized in a library and then prepare all of the new books for the teachers and children to use the next school day.

CLINICA

Laguna De Apoyo has supported the library in many ways, and now it has a bibliotecaula in the clinic. Nancy Davis runs this clinic,  alongside her husband, in an effort to not only help the people of Nicaragua be healthy, but to also have access to learning tools.

LIBRARY TRAINING

Whenever possible, we conduct library training for teachers, other NGO’s, foundations or others interested in books, reading and libraries. Training emphasizes putting books into the hands of children but can be based on the importance of children reading, making repairs to books, or setting up lending libraries in different areas. For more information contact the director, Annaelizabeth Blandón-Cajina.