Category Archives: LWB

Below is the newest information from Librarians without Borders:

Trip Description
Trip Participants will travel to Guatemala to volunteer at the Miguel Angel Asturias Academy in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala (known locally as Xela). Work at the Academy will include cataloguing, processing, programming, organization and teaching English, in addition to other library related work. Other activities include sight-seeing, cultural visits, and workshops designed to give participants a comprehensive understanding of libraries, education and culture in Guatemala. Trip participants will also have the option to choose a weekend activity (visit scenic Lake Atitlan, trek to one of Guatemala’s volcanic peaks, or visit the mountainous Ixil region).

Primary Projects

• Implementation of a working ILS and lending system at the Asturias Academy.
• Information literacy, collaboration with Asturias teachers and integration into curriculum.

Housing and Food
While in Xela, participants will stay at the COFA Catholic Retreat Centre. Most meals will be provided by a local family, or at local restaurants or eateries. Vegetarian options will be available.

Expectations
All trip volunteers are expected to…

• attend briefing meetings (held online) to discuss projects and receive training on Asturias Library systems. These meetings are mandatory for all volunteers.
• join and contribute to a working team before the trip.
• participate in pre and post trip assessments (e.g. evaluation survey).

Program Fees
The program fee includes: lodging, food, entrance to all activities and transportation within Guatemala. $150 of the program fee is paid as a non-refundable deposit. The fundraising fee will go towards funding the Librarians Without Borders program at the Asturias Academy. Trip participants are responsible for paying for their own airfare. All fees are in US Dollars.

Important Dates

• Guatemala Information Meeting – February 10 – 8PM EST. Online meeting location: https://www.fuzemeeting.com/fuze/32636309/18438747
• Application Deadline – February 18
• Successful applicants selected and notified – February 22
• Deposit due – March 1
• Program fees and fundraising due – March 22
• Trip waivers due – April 1

How to apply: submit application form to carolyn.doi@lwb-online.org

Please vote to help LWB win $15,000 from Better World Books to help us fund a school library in Haiti.

As some of you know, I have the privilege of serving on the Board of Directors for Librarians Without Borders. A team from LWB is currently on the ground in Guatemala.  Please help support this terrific group by making a donation here.

Librarians Without Borders Back on the Ground in Guatemala: Asturias Library Project

Thirteen Librarians Without Borders (LWB) volunteers from Canada and the United States are working on the ground at the Miguel Angel Asturias Academy in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala from May 3-13, 2012. LWB is collaborating with the Academy on the development of its emerging library which supports an innovative curriculum inspired by the philosophy of Paulo Freire.

LWB has partnered with the Asturias Academy since 2009 to support the Academy’s vision of building a sustainable community library in the school. This vision began to be realized in January 2011 with the help of LWB when the Library finally opened its door. But there remains a great deal to be done: this year LWB continues to work with the Academy to help cultivate the reading culture and increase book use and literacy within the school and community. Read about some of their projects.

For the duration of the trip (May 3-13), you can support LWB’s work by purchasing an eBook app from Auryn Inc, a digital publisher who creates award-winning interactive children’s stories for mobile devices. Auryn is donating $1 of each app sold to support the work of LWB.

Auryn collaborates with well-known authors, illustrators and publishers to turn their stories into educational, engaging and entertaining experiences. They have received significant recognition for their work in the emerging mobile app book space, which includes Teddy’s Day,Van Gogh and the Sunflowers, The Little Mermaid, Bunny Fun: Head Shoulder’s Knees and Toes by Rosemary Wells, and more. Click on these links to reach the iTunes store.

Visit the LWB project blog to follow the group’s experiences during their time in Guatemala.