How You Can Help
As the demand for more books and the number of new patrons increase, and with the addition of the Library in a Box Program, the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Móvil needs your help. Besides helping us from home, you can volunteer in San Juan del Sur. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.
Monetary Donations
Cash donations are always welcome and are put to good use. A donation for as little as $25 to $50 will make a significant difference. Your contribution can help us buy books and art supplies and defray the costs associated with operating our program. Your contribution can also allow us to purchase books offered to us at large discounts from publishers of books in Spanish.
One of our biggest expenses is renting a truck twice a week to bring books to surrounding impoverished communities with the Proyecto Móvil. With enough donations, we hope to eventually buy a truck of our own, which will also allow us to operate the Proyecto Móvil five days a week, bringing books and activities to that many more children and families.
Checks can be made out to the Hester J Hodgdon Librairies for All Program, a Colorado-based non-profit, non-governmental charitable organization. Please see where to mail checks.
Mailing Address in U.S.:
HJH Libraries for All Program
1716 Del Norte Blvd.
Loveland, CO 80538
Mailing Address in Nicaragua:
Apartado Postal 17
San Juan del Dur, Nicaragua
Fund Raising
Tortilla Nights, Read-A-Thons, Car Washes, Salsa Nights, and other fundraising activities provide an opportunity to have some fun while raising money. The program required to organize a Read-A-Thon is available upon request. Contact us at janem101@aol.com for help with your fundraising ideas, or to offer any suggestions.
Solicit Donations on Our Behalf
If you would like to approach a library, Spanish class, or civic organization on our behalf, we can supply you with a contact kit. The kit includes a business card, supporter name tag, copies of our newsletter, and photos.
Share Scholastic Book Club Points
Teachers have donated their extra points to help us. These points can be used to obtain free books. Our account number with scholastics is: 054-442-7511. The toll free number for Scholatics is: 1-800-724-6527. Last year, 3,000 points were donated from schools in NJ and NH.
Send Us Books
We always welcome books, especially in Spanish. Does your library discard books in Spanish? Treasures for our patrons include: computer manuals for Windows 95 and 98, car repair manuals for older models, science encyclopedias, hair styling and manicure books, how-to books for traditional crafts and projects, and dictionaries and thesauruses (some schools own one dictionary and no encyclopedias). Check with your U.S. Post Office to find out about sending books by M-Bag, which are mail bags used to send books at a reduced rate. Most U.S. Post Offices have the materials you need and the M-Bags. Books only boxed and taped can be sent by M-Bag for $1.00 per pound.
Any weight up to 11 pounds costs $11.00. After that, extra weight up to 62 pounds per bag costs $1.00 per pound. Smaller boxes per bag work best. Please keep an inventory list of the books in each box and the weight of the boxes (see below). If the books have been paid for (not donated), also list the cost. Fax a copy of this information to 970-669-4504, or send one in the mail (see address above). This helps if boxes go missing.
Step 1: Fill out an M-Bag tag and customs sheet for each bag.
Step 2: Be sure to also write the "from" and "to" addresses clearly on each box in permanent marker as well - the stronger the box you use, the better.
Step 3: Fill out the customs tag and state "used books only" on each slip - keep your copy.
Step 4: Ask for labels or bring your own that say "Postage paid by M-Bag" and put one on each box.
Step 5: Ask for the weight of each box and bag and note them on the receipt you are given.
Step 6: Save your receipts.
Step 7: Email us at janem101@aol.com . M-Bags take 8-12 weeks to arrive and must be packed well to make the trip.
Volunteer
Come down to Nicaragua and volunteer! If you're looking for a retirement project, taking a year off school, or just want to occupy yourself and travel at the same time, then volunteer. We can arrange a home-stay or hotel-stay at reasonable prices. Volunteer projects include working with our very fundamental library systems, helping organize our fledgling data base, teaching English, facilitating craft classes and working on the mobile unit.
Help us come up with creative ways to raise funds for our programs. The best ideas will be featured in our newsletter and on our website. Share Your Ideas