Revitalizing Community Libraries in Honduras

Vilma Yamileth was born on September 11, 1973, in the rural community of San Benito Nuevo, Concepción de María, into a large family of ten siblings. Despite dreaming of becoming a bilingual secretary, economic hardship prevented her from pursuing that goal. Determined to continue her education, she walked six kilometers daily to attend secondary school and later enrolled in a nursing program, which she could not complete due to institutional closures. She married at a young age and became a mother of two, yet continued studying. With the support of a local teacher, she helped advocate for the creation of a commerce program at her school, graduating in 2000. 

That same year, she joined a community committee that successfully established the Allen Anderson Library, where she began working as a librarian after receiving training from the Riecken Foundation. What started as an administrative role became a formative experience, exposing her to the educational and social needs of her community.

Her transition into politics began in 2005, when she became mayor for the 2010–2014 term, focusing on improving rural infrastructure and strengthening schools. Her leadership earned her consecutive re-elections for multiple terms (from 2014 to 2026), establishing her as one of the few women with sustained political leadership in the Choluteca region. She is now on track to extend her leadership through 2030, marking nearly two decades in office. Her journey—from librarian to long-standing mayor—has transformed not only her own life but also her municipality, turning the local library into a vibrant, modern space that symbolizes the power of education and community collaboration.

20 years ago, many people in rural villages of Honduras and Guatemala would have never read an entire book, much less owned one. The idea of a modern community library – open and free to all – would have seemed like a dream. That dream became a reality in 2000 when the first Riecken Community Library was opened in Sulaco, Yoro in Honduras by Susan Riecken and Allen Andersson, and Sister Fátima from the church who offered a location on which to build it. Since then, Riecken Community Libraries, in partnership with local communities and their municipal governments, has built a vibrant network of libraries in Honduras and Guatemala, holding to the belief that community libraries democratize access to information, create opportunities for social change, and serve as agents of human and community development. 

Library-initiated projects solving local challenges in Riecken library communities have included filtered water pump project for local potable water, Youth HIV/AIDS awareness and reproductive health training, development of local teacher skills using the library as a base, online access to banking, school registration and training, and marketing workshops for local products such as coffee and aloe – to name a few. Because there is a high degree of trust in library leadership and volunteer desire for the skills offered, Riecken Community Libraries maintains a high level of volunteerism that keeps the libraries running smoothly. The 9,000 volunteers represent annual in-kind support of over $400,000 USD.

The Riecken library buildings – all built between 2000 and 2017 – range in size and design, depending on the community in which it was built, with on-going general maintenance dependent upon tightly constrained local resources. Engineering assessments found that the most common repair needs of the libraries included major roof repairs or replacement. Such structural weaknesses grow worse with lack of attention, and are now being addressed with resources, materials and labor – with greatest need being resolved first. Book and equipment wear-and-tear is costly in a community library environment, not to mention the speed with which technology surpasses available hardware for its effective use.

In 2022, Riecken began to receive major USAID/ASHA support to fund durable commodities (books). Books collection has been crucial in Riecken’s reading, women’s leadership and youth programming.  Building repairs have been key to improving the prestige of the library in their communities. Highly valued by the community it serves, each Riecken library goes well beyond traditional library activities, providing space where local issues are analyzed and discussed, and people read and research to identify local solutions together as a community. Today, in Honduras where political strife, violence and desperate economic conditions prevail, this can be critical to their very chances for survival.

Introducing the modern American library to Central America has brought positive change to the lives of individuals, their families and their communities. As a key driver of this new paradigm and on its 20th Anniversary, Riecken Community Libraries celebrates a culture and tradition of innovation each time one of its libraries opens its doors.  In this process Riecken is proud to advocate for its partners and the US values Riecken brings to the region.

With a desire to bring reading closer to children in the rural villages of the municipality, the “Visión al Futuro” Community Library launched an inspiring Mobile Library and Storytime project in the schools of three villages: El Robledal, Corral Falso, and El Guayacán. This initiative allowed many children to discover storybooks for the first time, get to know the library, and enjoy meaningful moments immersed in stories.

The library has always aspired to share a love for books. However, it was well known that many children in nearby villages had never had the opportunity to enjoy reading, simply because they lacked access to age-appropriate books.

To change this, the library decided to bring the books directly to the children through the Mobile Library and Storytime initiative. The program began by visiting three villages, carrying colorful and engaging storybooks. Each visit became a special occasion for the children, who were thrilled to see the books and listen to the stories.

Following each visit, children were invited to the main library in the municipality, where they could explore the space, see the full collection, and participate in fun activities. Many children, who had never been inside a library before, were amazed to see so many shelves filled with books.

More than 25 children from the participating villages experienced the mobile library and interacted with books for the very first time. Teachers observed that the children showed increased interest in reading after hearing the stories.

By bringing stories directly to them, the library has ignited a love for reading that is hoped to last a lifetime. These children not only found magic in the pages of books, but also discovered a welcoming space full of adventure. The library’s volunteer leaders remain committed to making reading accessible and enjoyable for all children—no matter where they live. 

Riecken Community Libraries are a social platform and an essential space for the social cohesion present in 14 communities in Guatemala and 52 communities in Honduras.