2005 News Archive

The New Library Building

September 20, 2005

By 2004 it was evident that the library was outgrowing its one small room. Every afternoon the overflow would have to use a large, lamina-covered garage area, not a very practical solution during the rainy season. Discussions began about how to utilize the area behind the library to build a new, larger building, and also construct two very much needed bathrooms. Teresa Quiñonez, who owned the land, was in agreement, and so plans were drawn up for a three-phase building program:

• Phase One would be the construction of the two new bathrooms and a roofed terrace outside the computer room;
• Phase Two planned for construction of a new library building and a roofed ramp to a second level;
• Phase Three would construct a second level across the top of all the buildings.

Open Windows started to look for funds for this building program. Through a combined effort of generous individual donors and grants, enough money was raised to complete the most urgent: Phase One and Phase Two. Construction began in November 2004 and continued throughout the following year.

Open Windows celebrated its fourth birthday with the inauguration of this wonderful new building in September 2005. Originally it operated from two small rooms (each one 6.6m x 5.1m): one functioned as the library and one as the computer center. The library now occupies a much larger room of 10.7m by 7.1m. There are also two new bathrooms and a small courtyard, where the children can grow a garden. This extra space means that throughout 2006 the library can enroll an additional 500 children.

Phase Three will happen once funds have been secured through a special fundraising campaign. This will provide extra space for the library, as well as for the current free, monthly medical clinic, and also a large meeting/conference room, which can also be used by the community for special events.

(For the foreseeable future the library will be concentrating on expanding its network of individual donors and grant-assisted funding. A construction fundraising campaign will be initiated once this has been achieved.)