Copan Ruinas is a pleasant town in rural Honduras internationally known for the Maya ruins located close to the town. Tourism has led to a virtual explosion of hotels, restaurants and internet cafes. This apparent prosperity masks a true problem of poor education and widespread illiteracy.

The municipality of Copan Ruinas has almost 30,000 inhabitants, of which the majority live in the rural area. The illiteracy rate is 49.2% and more than 1000 children receive no education whatsoever.

Among the people of Copán is an enormous desire to develop themselves and to overcome their problems. Every year more schools are built and more teachers hired. Self education and different forms of non-formal education have also increased. To support this process, through the work of dedicated citizens, a public library was opened August 15, 2003 in the center of Copán Ruinas, accessible to everybody.

The location now seems inadequate as the library has grown to hold a children’s corner with reading steps and a colourful table and chairs, 5 computers with working space for students or others to work and fourteen new bookshelves to hold the more than 4000 books that are now the library collection.

How has all this been made possible you might ask…?

A small committee of interested citizens is working continuously to obtain and co-ordinate help from many sources…

The library has a central location and a librarian with minimal training funded by the municipal council. Many local businesses make monthly contributions to offset maintenance costs and often make special donations for specific projects. Several computers were donated by “Cops and computers for the community” (www.ccftc.org ) arranged by Marcia Mayorga. Many visitors have brought and donated books on their travels to Copan Ruinas.

***We extend a most profound thank you to all those who have helped the library in one way or another and hope that you can help too…check our missions and goals page for more information about what we are working on and the donations page for how to help.***


The inauguration ceremony in the central park.

Volunteers reading in Central Park during Conference on Honduras