The last couple of decades have been trying times for Belize's National Library Service, an institution that has weathered both manmade and natural storms. Like other notable institutions, such as the Belize Postal Service, it's been a challenge to keep up with rapidly changing technology. Despite those difficulties, though, the Library Service has been able to expand its service in one of the most marginalized areas of the city.
In 2002, they constructed a library in the Port Loyola area.
Since then, the sources for funding have dried up, but, a couple years ago two civic minded organizations came to its rescue with an offer to expand and refurbish the existing library on Central American Boulevard. Yesterday, that expansion and refurbishment were celebrated at inauguration ceremonies and Seven News was there.
Lawrence Vernon, National Library Service
"When the library was first opened, we were optimistic that although it was located in an area that suffered from social depression, there could still be created a link between education and social development which would lead to positive results.
Despite some residence using the premises for negative purposes in the early days we persevered to give the Port Loyola Library the opportunity to demonstrate its value within the community as a vibrant, cultural and family friendly institution."
Ismael Requena, Board of Trustees, BNE
"I can remember as a student my first research back then in the early 80s we didn't have internet, we didn't even have computers and even if we had we had those that we had to boot up. I remember my first research was to go and find out the real name of the top soccer player in history who is known as Pele and I could remember going to the Punta Gorda Town library and asking the librarian 'how do I go about finding who is Pele?' and thanks to that librarian she showed me to the encyclopedia and how to go about referencing and I found out that indeed Pele's right name is Edison Arantes do Nascimento - that is is true name but everybody knows him as Pele and so indeed I can tell you that libraries have affected me."
Lawrence Vernon, National Library Service
"The building of the original structure in 2002 was a joint Government of Belize and community effort with several business houses contributing. So it was that when there was a need in 2008 to address the concern of security and the Rotary Club of Belize Sunrise offered to install a chain-link fence around the library that was lauded as a great community effort."
Aldo reyes, P.R. Director - Rotary
"It is known that this area the Southside of Belize City is where a large proportion of the marginalized sector of Belize City lives and also this area has a high concentration of crime so it was absolutely incredible to us that this library was the only library on the Southside of the city. So with that in mind we saw it absolutely mandatory that we take on this library project. We saw it only befitting."
Education minister Patrick Faber cut the ribbon.
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