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HJH Libraries For All


 

December Update and Matching Grant Extension!

 
Uh oh! Our Annual BP Matching Grant was accepting donations from October 5th to December 15, 2019. Not to worry! It’s not too late, but it will be soon! Now extended to Dec 21st- The longest night! We were granted an extra 6 days of grace to have an opportunity to meet our Matching Grant goal and be sure we could reach everyone who wanted to be part of this grand opportunity to make a difference. We are close but not quite there yet! 

We are also still taking year end pledges that can be included in the Grant. This is our largest fundraiser of the year and we’d love your help to stay viable in this uncertain period as things begin to flourish once again. So if you “meant to” here’s a 2nd chance, and who doesn’t love a 2nd chance…
 

Please consider donating through one of the following platforms:

We are registered as Hester J. Hodgdon Libraries for All.
Please donate today with the PayPal or JustGiving buttons above
OR by check made payable to:

HJH Programs
1716 Del Norte Ave.
Loveland, CO 80538
 
As promised this is our exciting winter newsletter that will update you on all we have been doing, from our 18th anniversary celebration, to our brand-new 3D printing Makerspace!

Here are the highlights! The most exciting part of our anniversary was our 2nd Annual Chess Tournament with five categories and First Place Winners. All participants received a chess team T-Shirt donated by Chess Master Zach Bekkadahl of Ft. Collins CO. There were over 240 participants! There were even a few checkers teams. You may notice in the photos many players went on to compete in the soccer tournament – in their chess shirts!
 
The 2019 Jump Start Read for the Record Book, Gracias OMU, story readings, face painting and balloon animal making were included with the usual selection of crafts and games and went on all morning. The Gratitude Map of San Juan that was created by the volunteer ladies group who had been working with us on courses and workshops all week was a highlight. The gratitude map  was a suggested activity in the 2019 Read For The Record Book material from Jump Start. Note cards were provided at one of the reading tables and the activity had  people write their thankful memos on the map. We had more memos than space on our map! 

Note: Read for the Record is a global campaign sponsored by Jump Start that generates public support for high quality early learning and highlights the importance of building children’s vocabulary and love for reading. On November 7, 2019 children and adults worldwide gathered to read Thank You, OMU! the 2019 Read for the Record book. Every year we hold the “Read for the Record Nicaragua” project  with the same book all year long with activities and projects and each book then becomes a significant part of our Library in Box collection of books and related activities to use to set up (jump-start if you will) new lending programs.
 
One popular annual event was held in the classroom and on the patio of the library in which teachers and librarians who work with our mobile project and other libraries were invited to a morning of coffee, tea sweets and crafting!  Everyone was encouraged to make an ornament to bring home. Questionnaires were handed out so we could gauge our level of success and what the coming year’s school year may bring.  School closes for “summer vacation” shortly after our Anniversary each year so this event is a kind of culmination of the year for many of the teachers and directors of the schools we visit throughout the year.
 
Lunch was served to over 600 community members and there were seconds! Arroz con Pollo, bread and ice tea in bolsas – “baggies”
 
Awards, certificates, a few words from the director and a demonstration of the new 3-D printers headed up the afternoon and of course reading Gracias Omu to the whole crowd attending! There were several gift  presentations of dance and song and the  finale,  Happy Birthday Biblioteca with birthday cake for all. 
 

3D Printing

 

Librarians from the University of Maryland (UMD) Libraries traveled to San Juan and set-up a 3D printing operation in the SJDS Library.  Two 3D printers were brought in and the UMD Libraries’ Coordinator of Maker Technologies, Preston Tobery, with excellent translation assistance by Victor Zuniga, Systems Administrator, Poudre River Public Library District, Colorado, trained five SJDS Library staff members and volunteers in how to use the technology.
 
The printers will provide new learning and technology for the library and provide the SJDS community with an opportunity to create needed and wanted items such as craft projects, household items, replacement parts, and more.  The printers will also provide income for the Library.  Fees will be charged for printing items and future training classes, which helps support all Library services.
 
Preston Tobery giving 3D printing training to the SJDS Library Staff
 

 

Merry Christmas!


Thank you!  We so appreciate your support and care of this long lasting program.

FELIZ NAVIDAD y un FELIZ Y PROSPERO AÑO NUEVO

 
The Board of Advisors, Staff and volunteers of the Hester J Hodgdon Libraries for All Foundation and the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Publica y Movil Staff and families wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year. We look forward to gaining momentum together in 2020.

Jane Mirandette
Jane Mirandette
President HJH Program 
Director, San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Y Movil 
[email protected] or [email protected]