By Debra Broussard
March 2023
Dear friends and supporters,
It is time to update you on the progress of the Biblioteca Publica de San Miguel de Allende, AC, during the calendar year of 2022. Post-pandemic, we focused on rebuilding and sustaining programs serving the Biblioteca’s core mission to provide educational and cultural enrichment for our incredibly diverse San Miguel de Allende community.
Our dedicated staff, volunteers, and donors helped us in 2022 under the strong and creative leadership of our recently promoted Executive Director, Marie Moébius. You did this by donating new and used books, while our volunteer book committee helped us to intake and process books steadily every Tuesday and Thursday. Other volunteers helped us rethink, coordinate, and host the House & Garden tour that is now offered every Friday at noon to sold-out audiences each week. Volunteers also worked closely with the staff to help us bring new cultural events to the community. The staff and volunteers are working more closely together than ever, and we will continue improving this valuable relationship.
Volunteers: To get involved, contact Leticia: recursoshumanos@labibliotecapublica.org
The Biblioteca’s literacy programs continue to build. These programs are the core of what we do at the Biblioteca. The ability to read and write is the keystone to learning, acquiring knowledge, and, ultimately, civic participation. Pre-readers continued participating in our «Read with your Baby» program, enjoying their first contact with books in the comfort of Mom or Dad’s lap. We renewed the «Conversations Between Friends» classes on the patio, where native Spanish and English speakers converse to help each other learn under the guidance of our facilitators. These tables were packed and always filled with laughter. La Escuela de Inglés continues using our spaces for English as a Second Language classes for native adult San Miguelenses three evenings each week for those who want to communicate better.
Literacy: To get involved, please get in touch with Ceci: biblioteca@labibliotecapublica.org
Our scholarship program continued to support 100 local high school and university students. These students work hard, as 96% completed the spring and fall semesters of 2022. This program is life-changing for these students and their families. With the leadership and guidance of Bill and Kathryn Graham, we funded 100 scholarships using a «Gift of the Year» campaign, encouraging donors to honor a loved one or a friend with a scholarship in their name. These donors now form our Scholars Club, enjoying getting together at special events throughout the year and inviting friends to participate in this noble endeavor of supporting Biblioteca scholarship students for a year.
Scholarships: To get involved, please get in touch with Ruth: becas@labibliotecapublica.org
Our offerings of classes and workshops dramatically increased during 2002. In March, we inaugurated a new art studio by holding a successful silent art auction raising funds to support art teachers and purchase art supplies for a year. In 2021, we served 12 art students offering classes for approximately six hours a week. By the end of 2022, 70 students of all ages participated in drawing, painting, and ceramics classes for 26 hours per week. Our teachers and staff collaborated with El Centro Cultural El Nigromante, as some of our best students participated in an art exhibition at that venerable location, side-by-side with renowned contemporary Mexican artist Abraham Cruzvillegas. The students also learned how to prepare and professionally install an art exhibition.
In the summer, we sponsored a class for architects to learn new BIM software technology. Think of CAD on steroids!
With a grant from Broadcom Foundation, we started a computer coding club for children between 9 and 15. As you can imagine, this class is popular. Computer coding is fun for students, but it also exposes them to the possibility of future careers using digital technology in jobs that pay a good living wage and allow working remotely. Broadcom Foundation has committed to funding this program again in 2023.
Classes and Workshops: To sign up, please get in touch with Alondra: clases@labibliotecapublica.org
We infused much energy into the social and cultural during 2022. Here are a few examples. We were thrilled to begin hosting the Midday San Miguel Rotary Club in the beautiful Sala Quetzal on Tuesday mornings. They offer an incredible series of weekly speakers that attract Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike.
In addition to these speakers, our Biblioteca Events team hosted Richard Lourie, an expert on Russia and Putin, in a timely talk on Putin and Ukraine within two weeks of the Russian invasion. This event occurred in the large open-air patio to accommodate the large crowd safely.
We hosted the Jewish Film Festival in Teatro Santa Ana, thanks to the help of our loyal supporter, Gaby Green. In the fall, the events team worked with volunteer Tamana Bembenek to host the first in a series entitled «Mexico, Medicine & Me» to a full house. The talk provided very practical information to the community.
Events: To get involved, please get in touch with Wendy: eventos@labibliotecapublica.org
Many things happened in 2022 that you would not have immediately noticed. For instance, roof repairs were necessary to protect our book collection. Then there are other things that you have seen. In June, we welcomed a new operator to the Cafe Santa Ana, Grupo Zenteno. The tables are now packed, and the new menu is fantastic!
In 2023, you will hear much more from us about our efforts to transform the Biblioteca into a knowledge center that helps prepare the community for the future by addressing the most pressing needs of the day. For years, we have been a quaint, warm location where people gather, but we want to offer more. We will need your support as we work to provide shared experiences that will help level the disparity of opportunity across our community. We want to develop a knowledge ecosystem that starts with literacy and the love of reading and expands with a strong digital and technology-based literacy program. We are creating a collaboration space for diverse experts who can share their knowledge with us to understand the causes of disparity in the region and what positive actions we can take as a community to promote sustainability for everyone.
Transformation: To get involved with our transformation project, please get in touch with Marie: director@labibliotecapublica.org
For sure, 2022 was a growing year for the Biblioteca. All indications are that 2023 will be a great year for us if we continue to receive your support. Please consider serving on a committee to help us continue growing strategically, volunteer in one of our programs to impact the community, and help fund us with your generous donations.
Sincerely,
Debra Broussard
President, Board of Directors of Biblioteca Publica de San Miguel de Allende, AC
