Nicaragua: March 6th - March 14th, 2010

Course overview:

Travel Program Package Cost: $2558, plus tuition. Financial assistance is available.

Program costs are due as follows:

$400 Deposit due October 30, 2009 (credited towards travel costs)

50% of the balance is due on November 13, 2009.

50% of the balance is due on December 4, 2009.

The objective of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience working in an international library. This course is offered in conjunction with the Simmons College Study Abroad Office and will take place at the international library San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Publica y Movíl, the first public lending library in Nicaragua.

Established by volunteers in 2001, the library currently serves almost 5000 registered patrons in San Juan del Sur with more than 12,500 books in Spanish and English. In addition, a mobile library project, begun in 2003, includes more than 8000 books and serves an additional 35 rural communities. Over the duration of this course, students will participate in a variety of projects that will include some of the following: initiating libraries, training librarians, software testing, working on business documentation for the SJDS library, presenting to the Nicaraguan Library Association, participating in book readings, book fairs, assisting SJDS library staff on the mobile book project and helping SJDS library staff with library activities. Coursework may include presentations and papers before and after the trip, as well as journaling and blogging while in Nicaragua.

Course Goals:

  • To expose students to international librarianship and the opportunity to experience an international library program.
  • To enable students to gain an understanding and an appreciation of the differences and similarities between library programs, resources, and services in the United States and in a developing country.
  • To enable students to teach, share, outreach, and train other librarians, populations, and diverse communities, the skills and using the knowledge that they have acquired from their GSLIS experience.
  • To offer students the opportunity to understand and problem solve the challenges of developing a reading culture and providing library services in a developing country.
  • To encourage and develop relationships between GSLIS students and library and information professionals around the world.
  • To build students' awareness of international library development on social, political, and economic levels.