San Juan Chamelco is located 221 km north of the capital, near the city of Cobán. The 6,000 urban and 30,000 rural inhabitants work mostly in agriculture, and 97% are Maya Q'eqchi. Ten years ago, the municipality opened a public library, Biblioteca Gabriela Mistral, which needed updated books, a new entryway, more furniture, computers, and training. The Riecken Foundation initiated a library renovation project on October 4, 2002, and the library was re-inaugurated on January 15, 2003.
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View of the community from outside the library.
Library committee at a planning meeting in August 2002.
Library committee at the initiation ceremony in October 2002.
Librarian Gloria and committee members Silvia and Irma at the December 2002 training.
A view of the renovated library on inauguration day in January 2003
Kids at the library's new computers.
Librarians Gloria and Virginia and committee member Irma practice reading to kids in April 2003.
