‘Biblioteca Los Mangos’ – Los Mangos Library, (located at Av. Francisco Villa 1001, right around the corner from the Costco on Av. Fluvial in Puerto Vallarta,) is a non-profit institution that, unlike libraries in many other countries, receives no local or federal public funding.
Consider making a donation to Biblioteca Los Mangos here
Located in a large, elegant white building, the Library is situated in a much-used park on a main bus route. Established in 1996, it has remained open to residents of Puerto Vallarta on the strength of donations alone for over 25 years. However, the COVID pandemic has had a huge negative impact on the operation as a whole. Many staff members left or were let go due to a lack of funding between 2020 and the present. In addition, the organization initially formed to raise library operational funds became inactive during the pandemic due to a loss of volunteer members, especially those from the English-speaking community in Puerto Vallarta. Los Mangos is currently scraping by with a skeletal staff despite significant public use by library patrons, various cultural organizations, and non-profit educational entities.
Los Mangos Library is home to a large book collection, including a significant number of English language volumes, as well as a few computers for use by patrons. The primary focus of the Library is to bring free information via books, technology, classes, and events to the Spanish-speaking population of Puerto Vallarta, but it also hosts many English language or bi-lingual events, meetings, and classes. It also features a selection of used books in both English and Spanish that have been donated but cannot be incorporated into the current collection for sale to the public at extremely low prices.
Consider making a donation to Biblioteca Los Mangos here
Immediate Needs
Los Mangos Library needs an immediate infusion of operational funds as well as volunteers ready to revive the fundraising arm of the library. It also needs volunteers to help with organizing, caring for, and re-shelving the collection. (Because the Library operates on the Dewey Decimal System like English language libraries, knowledge of Spanish is not a prerequisite to this activity.) Finally, the Library needs assistance in keeping its website, which is published in both English and Spanish, current.
Consider making a donation to Biblioteca Los Mangos here
Los Mangos welcomes in-kind donations as well. The Library is in desperate need of sturdy, preferably industrial, library shelving. Skilled tradespeople able to build shelving, materials for doing so, or actual donations of library shelving are all welcome. Currently, the Library is creating a new children’s corner that needs specific types of shelving safe for use around children to complete the project. Los Mangos Library has long been an important cultural and educational organization in Puerto Vallarta. If you are interested in assisting in its continuing legacy, or you have any other questions, please contact [email protected] with “attention Carly” in the subject line.
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