Puedo Leer. Built

Puedo Leer is one of the smaller NGOs in the area and our mission is simply to bring the joy of reading to the people of Nicaragua. We have the main lending library on Calle Santa Lucia and a reading room at the Hotel Corazon but we have many other programs that help fulfill the mission. We have the "reading in the park" program on weekends and we have trained many people to become librarians or library custodians or simply showing teachers how to read to children. Many community centers, schools and community libraries have been assisted by our staff to learn skills needed to support library functions. Our greatest reach, though, has been through the delivery of books every two weeks to 24 public schools to allow teachers to read a book each day to their classes. This program has touched thousands of children. Still, we did not have but two physical libraries but this recently changed with the opening of the new Puedo Leer library at the Juan Pablo Community Center located in the Pancasan area of Granada. The official name of the new library is the Grayce Pickett Clay commemorative library due to the support given by the Clay family. The library is dedicated to her by her family due to her love of reading. We had heard of the Juan Pablo community center and after several conversations we agreed to put a library in the building. The community center was built and started by Neighbors to Nicaragua, another NGO doing good things in Nicaragua. The center also has two large classrooms, a great room for larger activities and room for expansion. We are excited by the prospects of having another library but even more so in working with the community center. We see the library as being an integral part of the center. A new librarian has been hired and the grand opening was last week so we are open for business. We need a lot more books and the new librarian will be busy introducing the library to the community, the local schools and working with the community center. The photos show the grand opening activities, the facilities and the celebration. Below are links to YouTube videos of the little girls doing the folkloric dances for the big day.