New library for Benque Viejo del Carmen and Surrounding villages

Residents and Students of Benque Viejo del Carmen and surrounding communities will now be able to enhance their knowledge in a spacious and pleasant environment as a result of a new public library, which will be officially inaugurated on Thursday morning by Hon. Erwin Contreras, Minister of Economic Development, Commerce, Industry and Consumer Protection and Area Representative for Cayo West.

Copyright Awareness Rising

Copyright legislation was passed in Belize in the year two thousand - but according to a new copyright advocacy group, piracy is still widespread. The Belize Book Industry Association celebrated International book day today with the second annual bookfair and the launching of the Belize Copyright licensing agency, referred to as "BECLA." They are promoting publishing, reading and the protection of copyright laws. They says its about sustaining, supporting and protecting book publishing in Belize:…

BELIZE NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE AND INFORMATION SYSTEM CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY

The Belize National Library Service and Information System was celebrating today. The library which was inaugurated on December 7th, 1935 in a building on North Front Street is today celebrating its seventy-fifth birthday. This morning at the Leo Bradley Library on Princess Margret Drive, the library’s administration launched a series of events to run throughout the year as part of their celebrations. Brenda Armstrong is the Chairperson of BNLSIS and says they have much to be proud of at seventy-five.

LIBRARY SERVICE ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF STORY WRITING COMPETITION

The Belize National Library Service and Information Service recently held a story writing competition. Love News spoke with Librarian Glenford Barrera who gave us the results of the competition.

Librarians discuss how to keep reading alive in a digital age

Reading is one of the first things we learn in early education and it is a prerequisite to almost every aspect of life.  But the internet and television are keeping many away from the books. Earlier today we caught up with librarians at the Radisson where they were being trained to keep interest in books as part of the learning process.

BNLSIS 75th Anniversary Story Writing Competition

The Belize National Library Service founded 75 years ago celebrated the significant milestone today with an award ceremony for the winners of a story writing competition. The stories are written and designed to stimulate and encourage reading especially amongst children between the ages of 5 thru 8. Winner of the competition, 20 year-old Kenisha Hoare spoke about the world of opportunities and benefits derived from being an avid reader.

Librarians discuss how to keep reading alive in a digital age

Reading is one of the first things we learn in early education and it is a prerequisite to almost every aspect of life.  But the internet and television are keeping many away from the books. Earlier today we caught up with librarians at the Radisson where they were being trained to keep interest in books as part of the learning process.

Port Loyola Library gets upgraded

The Rotary Sunrise for the past few years has undertaken a project to upgrade the Port Loyola Library. Students from schools on the Southside use the library for afterschool and weekend work as well as a monthly reading program. The library also has the only computer lab that’s open to students in the community. But it sits in an area of the Central American Boulevard that is plagued with crime, which means the facility has been broken into and vandalized on several occasions. 

National Heritage Library Meets the Author, Historian, and Poet

The National Heritage Library (NHL) is the depository arm of the Belize National Library Service and Information System; NHL maintains a vast non-circulating collection of materials published by and about Belize and Belizeans. Recently Dr. Corinth Morter Lewis, Felicia Hernandez, and Sir Colville Young were featured. Today’s session honored Lita Krohn, who is now retiring as Director of Museums of Belize.

Will you read? Campaign launched

The Belize National Library Service and Information System held a series of events to mark its seventy-fifth anniversary. All the activities were focused on promoting reading, especially among children and today a campaign called “Will You Read” was launched. The initiative started in Belize City and will move on to the districts as the library encourages adults to read to thier children. Chief Librarian Joy Ysaguirre says they will also feature locally written books and stories.

The Benque Viejo Public Library

The history of the Benque Viejo Library started back in the 1950’s, when it was opened under the direction of the Aguallo sisters, opening twice a week. The library was later moved to the old Town Hall building. After the building burnt down in a 1970 fire, it was temporarily moved to Churchill Street until the new Town Hall was available in 1976. Mrs Judith Gonzales was the first full time librarian employed and has been working for the community at the library ever since. In 1998 Ms Miriam Valdez was employed as Library Assistant.

Belize Librarians at Bainbridge

Glenford Barrera, a librarian with the National Heritage Library in the Belizean capital, Belmopan, and Lusiola Castillo, public services librarian with Belize’s National Library Service received training in library procedures at BC, and a detailed tour at Southwest Georgia Regional Library System and its Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

2009 Summer Program

Most summer camps are spent learning, developing skills, or even just doing art, but today we encountered a summer camp which focuses on promoting the awareness of major issues – such as global warming. The Belize National Library and Service System hosts a summer camp each year which focuses on various topics affecting our country, and finds ways to help alleviate the problems in any small way. After being taught about global warming, a group of around 70 kids went to the Isaiah Mortar Monument today to plant flowers.

Elena Carballo

Ms. Elena Carballo is one of the few people who have managed to provide educational support for Belizean youth without being a school teacher.  Ms Elena is an educator, but not in the orthodox sense: she has spent almost two decades based at the Sandy Hunter library in Orange Walk, encouraging children to read, tutoring children with various classroom subjects, and assisting students with homework and school projects. 

Rotarians from Port Moody help with Library Project

Rotary’s Literacy and Library projects got a boost when three members of the Rotary Club of Port Moody in Vancouver visited Belize.

Rotarians and the Mexican Embassy host a Cinco de Mayo celebration for the Library

Con motivo de la conmemoración de la Batalla de Puebla, el Club de Rotarios "Sunrise" en colaboración con la Embajada de México en Belice, organiza una Fiesta Mexicana y una subasta silente. Los recursos recaudados se destinarán a la reparación, expansión y mejoramiento de la Biblioteca pública de Port Loyola, como parte de un esfuerzo por brindar mayor seguridad y un ambiente de estudio adecuado para los niños de esta área de la ciudad de Belice.