DIAMANTE LIBRARY PROJECT
CREER is excited at the opportunity to support the building of the new Diamante Valley Library. Below is information provided by the Friends of the Library Association.
The building plans are featured above, on the left and the right. (click plans to enlarge)
Who: We are the people of Diamante Valley townships of La Florida, San Salvador, and Las Tumbas, Costa Rica. Our organization is called the Diamante Valley Library Council. The Friends of the Diamante Library work on fundraising, and the local Jungle Brothers Construction and Landscaping company oversees construction. Our fundraising partner is CREER. The Library will be linked with the four local schools in order to enhance the educational quality of those schools. Classes for the children of the local schools will be part of the Library curriculum.
What: Our main objectives include:
- funding and building the library
- developing a collection of books and periodicals in the Spanish language
- selecting research materials for use at the Library.
- a computer and internet room
- classroom space for both youth and adult education classes
Where: The Diamante valley is located in the mountains above the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Including the four rural towns of Las Tumbas, San Salvador, San Luis, and La Florida, the population is around five hundred. The property that will be used for the library is adjacent to the La Florida School.
Why: Primary education is a right in Costa Rica and is provided for the youth by the national educational system. This education is provided in our area with one-room school houses that have a single teacher in a single class. There is a serious lack of educational opportunities for the rural peoples of Costa Rica after they finish Primary. Only a small percentage of youth finish High School and there is almost no adult education to speak of. Additionally, there is no existing Library in the region. After an extensive questionnaire process it has been determined that there is a serious desire to have a library and computer facility available for use by the communities.
Libraries are more than just an educational opportunity. They represent a cultural heart of a community; any library should be viewed as a wellspring of cultural strength. The library will be a gathering place for the people's heritage and their present and future in every respect.
The library will be a center for personal and community creativity, with access to the world's art, science, philosophy, language and history. The classroom will also be for social and artistic production, including wall space to function as a gallery, display space for 3 dimensional art, and items of historical and cultural value. It can also be used for community meetings.
Libraries and library keepers are the protectors of knowledge and creativity. They are the voice and the protectors of intellectual freedom. These are qualities that the people of Diamante Valley value.
The goal is to raise $40,000 for the initial construction of the building and the collection, and to stock the Library with the needed computers and supplies.
Tax-exempt status for donations is available through our partner organization CREER.
Please got to creerbelieve.org for more information.
Phase Two: Endowment Establishment
GRAPHIC: Picture of La Florida school
This phase will run concurrently with Phases I-V. The goal is to create a permanent source of income for the library in order to pay for librarian salaries, updating the library, bringing in teachers, etc.
- Local sources
- Library Income
i. Internet fees for non-resident travelers. There is no internet café in the area, so the Library will have computer room hours that are available for tourists and ex-patriates at a charge.
ii. Class fees. A very small fee will be charged for the use of the facility for classes. This will accrue over the year to offset some costs.
- Fundraisers are a typical source of income for community projects. There will be ongoing fundraisers staged in Costa Rica and Internationally.
2. Endowment Fundraising Campaign:
The Friends of the Diamante Library sponsor fundraising campaigns. If you are interested in becoming a Friend of the Library, contact Chuck Wilcox at wilcoxc@colorado.edu.
Phase Three: Building Construction
GRAPHIC: The drawings
The drawings on this page are for a 192 sq. meter (2,000 square foot) facility, with two stories. The lower level will have the collection and the computer rooms, while the upper level is designed as the classroom and reading deck complete with fantastic views. There are some associated infrastructure costs for the building and internet connection.
Minimum cost to build the structure: $30,000. These costs include all materials, labor, permits, and design costs. The building will have an enclosed first floor with tile floor and concrete walls in order to protect the collection. The upper level will have an open-air deck to enjoy the incredible view, and an enclosed classroom space.
Additional costs: $10,000. These costs include the dehumidification system and infrastructure. Initial infrastructure includes water, septic, and internet connection. Furniture such as bookshelves, tables and chairs are also in these costs. Teaching supplies and scientific equipment for courses will also be needed.
Phase Four: Library Collection
GRAPHIC: books/row of computers??
Primarily, there is need to stock the Library with a good collection of reading materials as well as furnishing the computer room. Many of the materials for the collection will be donated by a variety of organizations that donate books and computer equipment to projects like this one. We hope to have a minimum of five computer stations, as well as a printer and digital projector.
The Collection will include current reference materials, books for both children and youth, Spanish language classics and educational movies. There will be Spanish periodical section with magazines and newspapers. There will be a small section of English language books for those learning that language; this section would be introduced after the community is using the library.There will be shelf and display space for family archive information, as well as a computer that has a Spanish genealogy software program. There will be teaching supplies to assist with classes.
A list of desired books and periodicals for The Collection is being developed by Friends of the Library and the DVL Council.
Phase Five: The Library at work
GRAPHIC: Deegan’s blue landrover OR children in the garden
Maintenance costs for the Library will be addressed as well. Wage for the librarians will need to be appropriated. Transportation for the students of Las Tumbas can be contracted locally. Utilities and general maintenance will have to be paid for regularly as well. These costs are estimated at around $7,000 annually.
Annual costs to run the Library
- Librarian wage: $3,000/year
- Estimated utilities cost: $1,000/year
- Upkeep for the grounds and library: $500/year
- Mini-Bus transportation for the kids: $2500/year
Improvements to the Library
There will always be a need for a greater collection and improvements to the computer room. Hopefully, much of the cost of this will be addressed through donations. Any costs outside of what can be obtained in this manner can be addressed through Library income.
Faculty
Faculty come from at least four sources: local, guests, artists-in-residence, and invited staff.
Local Faculty: Current classes in the valley include: Organic Farming, English, Women’s Cooperative classes, Basic construction, Yoga, Karate, and Sustainable living.
Guests: Guests at area projects are interested in offering short courses such as Sacred Geometry, Car Repair, Basic Investment, and Writing.
Artists-in-Residence: Programs and shows developed by artists and teachers that are in the area. These will include all of the major arts; music, theater, drawing, painting, pottery, dance etc.
Invited Faculty: The community will identify what is needed and then invite teachers to instruct those topics. This will be a very broad spectrum of material, from Sewing to Safe Water to Biological Corridor Preservation. Some of these courses are offered through Costa Rica government classes and some through identified consultants.
Contact:
Diamante Library Council deeg_an@yahoo.com 011-506-365-8483
Friends of the Library wilcoxc@colorado.edu (US) 303-919-3532
CREER is a U.S. non-profit organization that is based in La Florida. CREER’s mission: “We believe it is our responsibility to create an international bridge focused on education, sustainable contribution, and balanced integration of cultures; providing a progressive model of a holistic, charitable organization.”
How to participate:
- monetary donations can be made directly to the Library, or through the non-profit organization CREER.
- there is a need for
o Spanish books, periodicals, research materials
o Computers, software, and a digital projector.
o Volunteer teachers on almost any topic.
Donations can be designated for a number of different parts of the Library whole. For example, you could designate your donation for Library Roof, Computer Room, or 1st year of Librarian wage etc. We can provide a specific cost sheet so that you can pick an item that fits your donation. Plaques will be installed in the facility to recognize the donors.
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