Caldo de Piedra Library Project

Boy, do I have a soft spot for libraries! Often I highlight library projects like the Bibliobús of Probigua, which I nicknamed the Mobile Library Chicken Bus. Back in the first week of December 2007, we did a little tour through Compañí­a de Jesús Library as well. I am sure it does not come as a surprise that we cover yet another library around La Antigua Guatemala.

The Caldo de Piedra Library Project in San Antonio Aguas Calientes is the work of Kyle and Cassandra Passarelli who moved just 10 months to San Antonio Aguas Calientes, a must-visit little town just outside La Antigua Guatemala. As explained by Kyle and Cassandra, they were inspired to open a library for children because they were used to a mobile library bus (chicken library bus, pues) which came their way on the Isle of Arran often and provided books, movies and newspapers on loan. After they moved back to Guatemala they realized that some services they were accustomed to or that were taken for granted, were not available anymore; like the library. After moving to San Antonio Aguas Calientes, they asked themselves if they could open a children’s library since there were none in the village. Inspired, again, by the reading of the Caldo de Piedra book, they approach a group in the community to see there were interest in having a children’s library and sure enough the community responded and a very short time they had a small room half a block away from the parque central of San Antonio and books donated by the community and their friends.

The Caldo de Piedra Library Project has a web site where you can learn all about the project, read their recent accomplishments and to send your book donations. For those who can read Spanish, there is a great little article about the Biblioteca Caldo de Piedra in the most recent issue of Recrearte Magazine.

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