I have seen the library of the future and it wasn't in the United States. My husband and I took a long-delayed vacation to San Miguel de Allende, a city of about 80,000 in the state of Guanajuato in Mexico's mountainous region, about four hours north of Mexico City.

The city was founded in 1542 and later became an important stop for the silver trade. In 1926, when San Miguel was in danger of becoming a ghost town, the Mexican government declared the downtown area a historic district and restricted development in order to preserve its colonial character.

After World War II, many demobilized US GIs used their education grants at the local US-accredited art school, Instituto Allende. This was the beginning of an ongoing attraction of Americans and Canadians for San Miguel de Allende. As many as 5,000 US citizens have found permanent or semipermanent homes in San Miguel, and last year a top travel magazine named it one of the 10 best places to visit. 

One of the reasons my husband (also a librarian) and I wanted to go to San Miguel is because we had read that the Biblioteca Pública, located in the center of town, effectively serves as the heart of the community. The library was established in 1954 by Helen Wale, a Canadian, assisted by a few other women, all propelled by a desire to reach out to local children. 

The library collection has both English and Spanish materials and is the largest bilingual, privately funded, publicly accessible library in Mexico. It features not only reference and circulating books, but audiotape and new and developing collections of CDs and DVDs.

The oral history of San Miguel residents with comments on the architecture, festivals and activities is being collected.

There is a computer center with about 20 computers with internet access available for public use. I was impressed with the fabulous range of programs and services for adults and children, locals and expatriates.

Juan Manuel Fajardo Orozco, the librarian, and Gabriel Rubiera, the library manager, generously gave of their time on short notice and met with us in the library's beautiful outdoor cafe. 

I was fascinated to hear that the library gets very little ongoing monetary support from either local or national government. Money-making enterprises include the cafe, which serves gourmet snacks and meals, and a gift shop selling unusual Mexican crafts and books on San Miguel.

There is a Thursdays-only sale of books, clothes and household items, a weekly house and garden tour-much appreciated by the many foreign visitors featuring three local houses every week-and a weekly newspaper, Atención San Miguel, in both English and Spanish, with very interesting articles, advertisements and classified ads. Have a look at the newspaper on the Web at www.atencionsanmiguel.org  Revenue from these sources supports about 40 regular employees and the general operating expenses of the library, which total about US$1 million. An extensive corps of volunteers augments the many services and programs offered. 

Perhaps most impressive of all is the library's scholarship and outreach program. Since l953, the library has been supporting school attendance for young Mexicans. This year, 105 students from junior high and high schools in the rural areas were sponsored, as well as 64 university students from both rural and urban areas. Also in the rural areas, maps, bookcases, dictionaries, encyclopedias, books and other supplies were given to nearly 350 schools.

You could change someone's life with your tax-deductible contribution. The library's money-making enterprises pay all overhead and administrative expenses, so every penny donated goes directly into programs. Simply write a check to the Biblioteca Pública and mail it to: Public Library San Miguel de Allende, Insurgentes 25, San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico 37700. The library will reply with a letter and a receipt deductible from Mexican or US taxes (the Biblioteca has not-for-profit status).

Why do I think this library is the library of the future? Primarily because it has its finger on what's needed and wanted in the community. The eight-member library board seems to have a willingness to try new things and to not be bound by the strictures of the past or the mind-set of what makes a "real" library. This library is a true community center. 

Have a look at the library's website to see what I mean: www.bibliotecasma.com 

The library facility was not as modern or as tidy as most of the libraries in the US, but the spirit and willingness to stretch the bounds of what it means to be a library makes the Biblioteca Pública de San Miguel de Allende the library of the future in my book.


Sarah Long is the director of the North Suburban Library System, an organization of over 650 academic, public, school and special libraries in the north/northwest suburbs of Chicago.

Creative writers seek same

Join creative writers in a nonjudgmental environment and share your stories. On April 24 between 2:30 and 4:30pm in the Sala Queztal of the Biblioteca, several brave writers will be demonstrating the process for free, with audience participation for those who wish. Bring paper and pen if you intend to write with us.

This presentation is an opportunity for you to join us or just observe. It all takes place in an atmosphere of acceptance and acknowledgment that some of us might not be ready to publish, but it is also an opportunity to get the support to pursue publication.

Creative writers, left to right. Azzah, Mary, Teresa (with pooch) and Rachel, leader and founder