Nancy Rittmaster de España Municipal Library is a joint project of FUNDIT and El Tejar Municipality. The library serves approximately 20,000 users annually, including students from the pre primary to university levels. The library holds about 12,000 books and is considered to be the best library offering a reading adventures program in the Chimaltenango department.
The library operates these programs:
Book lending
Reading activities with students from El Tejar’s primary schools
Tutoring for scholarship students
Reading adventures – a vacation-time reading program with special activities for children
The library is open Monday to Friday: 8-12 noon and 2-5pm.
How we work?
The library is located in the central park of El Tejar in the municipality of El Tejar, in Chimaltenango.
It is used by residents of El Tejar and nearby communities. The majority of users are students from the pre-primary to university levels. Students often search for information needed to do their homework.
We cooperate with La Cantonal Primary School, providing reading classes one hour per week for each grade.
The library lends books to students from primary school to the university level. - During vacation time we run Reading Adventures.
During vacation time we run Reading Adventures.
For the secondary and high school students we offer tutoring, especially in English, mathematics, and Kakchiquel.
The Early Years
The Nancy Rittmaster de España Municipal Library was the first project Nancy initiated in the 80-ties, together with a group of women from El Tejar.
Nancy was an expert in library management. From the beginning, she wanted the library to be comfortable and accessible for everyone, a place for students to do research or just enjoy reading a good book.
The first books were bought in Tapachula, Mexico, selected to meet the needs of students of all levels.
In 1992, Mayor Jorge Morales offered the use of the Cultural House building. With the support of international and local institutions and individual donors, it became possible to buy equipment and accumulate donated books. The library started functioning in its current location in October 1992.
OUR STUDENTS
David Victor Daniel is nine years old. He is in 3rd grade at Liceo Cristiano Hispanoamericano. He has been visiting the library regularly since he was four years old. He likes it because he can read and learn new things. He can also learn more about what has been presented in the classroom and answer all his questions. Victor is sure that reading will prepare him for his future profession.
Astrid Paola is 14 years old. She is in her 3rd year of secondary school in Liceo Cristiano Hispanoamericano. She comes to the library every week to borrow a book to read. In the beginning, she didn´t have a habit of reading. But little by little, she developed it. She receives tutoring in some topics, as she wants to improve her knowledge. She says that for her the library is a nice place where she can learn new things every day.
Lidveth Daniela is 16 years old. She is in high school and is focused on computer science. Daniela started visiting the library when she was eight years old; she was coming for Reading Adventures during holidays. Years later she was assisting in one of the Reading Adventures groups. She also receives tutoring to improve her academic development.