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In 2003 and 2004, Biblio.com one of the world's leading suppliers of used, rare, and out-of-print books recognized a need for a library in a rural indigenous community in Bolivia. Through its support, and the support of its strategic partners, Biblio.com was able to fund the construction of the first rural library ever built in one of the most impoverished regions of Bolivia – La Biblioteca Villa Zamora. Growing out of this project, was the recognition of a wider need for an independent organization which would continue similar library and educational projects in Bolivia, as well as other impoverished regions, both domestic and abroad, in order to help foster literacy and education in such cultural areas. In 2005, Biblio.com founded the non-profit organization, Biblio Charitable Works, Inc., to build upon the success of the work in Bolivia, and continues to be a major contributor to its efforts to bring literacy and education to impoverished indigenous communities. BiblioWorks operates as a 501(c)(3) organization. Since 2005, BiblioWorks has established 6 community libraries in the rural areas outside of the capital of Bolivia, Sucre. These communities have never known what it's like to have a library. In school, students or children are lucky to just have a notebook and the stub of a pencil for taking notes. Education is not very interactive in the rural area and when children do read, they are simply reading what the teachers require on the tests. If the children do not find the books that they need from friends in the community, they will travel up to 4 hours to Sucre to find the research materials they need.
Having libraries in their communities is a new experience for the students and children. We are providing them resources that they have never had access to. We believe that our libraries are expanding the horizons of these young children and giving them an opportunity to study and learn in a safe, healthy environment.
Our work would not be possible without our wonderful staff and volunteers in Asheville, NC and Bolivia.
Asheville Board of Directors 2007-2008
- Allen W. Singleton, President / Treasurer
- Brendan J Sherar, Vice President / Asst. Treasurer
- Cecil Bothwell, Secretary
- Steven Foster
- Maggie Smith
Bolivia Office 2007-2008
- Megan Sherar, Latin America Project Coordinator
- Laura Rivera, Administrative Assistant
- Maritza Valdez, Project Assistant
To learn more about our history and how we began working in Bolivia, please click here.
IRS Form 1023 Filing (2006; PDF)
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