Hekab Be Wish List

2012 Wish List

2012-01-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Many many thanks to all those who donated gifts and other goodies during the Holiday season!
Thanks to you, we are very well loaded on school supplies, but we are now low on art supplies. Things we could use include:

--Water based paints, we are almost always low on these. Liter size bottles are best, but we'll take whatever you can fit in your suitcase!
--Glitter, sequins, any of that shiny stuff that can be glued onto art projects
--Feathers, beads, pendants, fake flowers, stickers, all that good stuff
--Foam craft sheets in various colors
--Refills for glue guns (the sticks)

Art supplies that we don't need at the moment include: watercolors, crayons, colored pencils or markers, we have plenty!

We are also in need of gently used clothing for our fundraising clothing bazaars. Things that sell well are light-to-medium weight clothing for babies, children, teens and small adults sizes (XS, S or M-- anything larger is generally too big for locals). Think summer or spring clothes. Sneakers, sandals, & flip-flops are also popular items. Please don't feel the need to go out and buy new clothes, pick stuff up at your local thrift store if you must, or canvas your neighbors for their used clothes-- help recycle clothing and help Hekab Be!

Questions? Email us: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Holiday gift wish list

2011-12-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Well folks, here is the list of toys that the kids who frequent the library have wished for:

Hot wheels race tracks: Wolf Mountain, Car wash
Barbies (Princess school Barbie)
Dolls: baby dolls, dolls with changeable hair, dolls that make sounds (cry, talk), little mommy dolls
Large stuffed animals
Skateboard with child size helmet
Remote control car
Tea Set

Of course any and all toys will be cherished for sure! We appreciate your support in helping us give the kids a Happy Holiday party every year!
Details of the Christmas Party will be posted soon.

Back to school wishlist

2011-10-21T08:30:00.000-06:00

Note we will be posting a Holiday Gift Wishlist in November, so if you plan to come in December, please consider checking back on our list for gift ideas...or if you're an early shopper, scroll down to the toys and prizes section for some ideas of things the kids here would like to receive.

It's that time of year again! Here are supplies we'd like to have available for the children who use the library:

--Notebooks-- regular lined (college rule and wide rule) and graph paper
--Round point (safety) scissors
--Erasers, kids like the white ones since they don't mess up the page
--Pencil sharpeners (metal ones seems to last longest)
--Liquid white glue, such as Elmer's, large bottles are ok
--Colored pencils in sets of 12 colors per pack
--Geometry sets with compass, triangle, and ruler
--Permanent markers (sharpies)
--Pens (black, red and blue)
--Play doh/non-toxic modeling clay
--water based paints, large 1 liter bottles are best
--watercolor sets
--puzzles with 100 pieces or more
--children's backpacks
--pencil cases (boxes or zip pouches)
--printer cartridges: HP 22 tricolor and Kodak color cartridge 10c

Small toys for prizes to kids who participate in our reading programs:
Please remember: NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).

Items the kids have expressed interest in:
--silly bands
--bakugan toys
--tops
--transformer toys
--superhero toys
--building blocs like legos, duplos or megablocks
--hot wheels cars
--beads for making necklaces and bracelets
--educational games/toys for small children: block sets, puzzles using colors and shapes of varying types, games that require concentration such as memory, uno, crazy 8s)
--dolls
--small purses for young teen girls
--pencil cases with a kid theme (cartoon character)
--lunch bags and backpacks with kid theme

Clothing
As always, we welcome donations of gently used clothing, scroll down for a list of suggested items. We sell these clothes at minimal cost to local families to raise funds for library operations.
Our most popular item is clothing for kids. Small or medium adult sizes also sell well. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who come to the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:
--anything for infants or youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHTWEIGHT clothing, such as: shorts, t-shirts, skorts, bathing suits, camis, tank tops, flip-flops, sneakers, b-ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Children's Place, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - long ones are too long for locals.

Summer Wishlist - short & sweet!

2011-07-01T10:25:00.000-06:00

Items we will need for our upcoming summer course include these few items:

>Water based paint, preferably in large bottles (liter size), all colors, or primary colors plus black & white
>Poster board, letter size and large (poster) size-- note they do sell large packets of this at Sam's and Cityclub in Playa del Carmen
>Color Ink Printer Cartridges 10C, for Kodak all in one printer
>Laminating sheets (plastic sheets to use in laminating machine)

>Glitter

As always, we welcome donations of gently used clothing, scroll down for a list of suggested items. We sell these clothes at minimal cost to local families to raise funds for library operations.
Our most popular item is clothing for kids. Small or medium adult sizes also sell well. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who come to the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:
--anything for infants or youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHTWEIGHT clothing, such as: shorts, t-shirts, skorts, bathing suits, camis, tank tops, flip-flops, sneakers, b-ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Children's Place, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - long ones are too long for locals.

And we can always use small toys/prizes used as incentives for our reading programs and special events.
Please remember: NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).

Items the kids have expressed interest in:
--silly bands
--bakugan toys
--transformer toys
--building blocs like legos, duplos or megablocks
--hot wheels cars
--beads for making necklaces and bracelets
--educational games/toys for small children: block sets, puzzles using colors and shapes of varying types, games that require concentration such as memory, uno, crazy 8s)
--dolls
--small purses for young teen girls
--shoes for boys & girls
--pencil cases with a kid theme (cartoon character)

Spring Wish List

2011-03-17T17:34:00.000-06:00

LEAVING YOUR DONATION AT THE LIBRARY:
Our English speaking staff member, Carlos, can answer any questions you have. Please do not hesitate to leave your donation with Carlos, whether it's a donation in kind or a cash donation. PLEASE BE SURE to sign our guest book with your name and a description of what you donated.

Most needed items:
--glue guns and glue sticks to use in them
--foam craft sheets
--water based paints (liter size or larger work well, we pour them into smaller dishes for kids to use)
--paint brushes, various sizes
--different colors of glitter
--other stuff for arts & crafts such as feathers, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, sequins, rhinestones or other items that can be glued, etc.
--tissue paper
--crepe paper
--stencils for drawing pictures
--large sheets of construction paper or lightweight posterboard (can be purchased locally in Playa del Carmen, they sell packs of 200 sheets at Sam's or City Club)
--Math work books for kids of all ages, preferably in Spanish if possible
--Small (individual size) whiteboards

Toys/prizes used as incentives for our reading programs and special events (such as the upcoming Dia del Nino celebration on April 30th).
Please remember: NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).

Items the kids have expressed interest in:
--bakugan toys
--transformer toys
--building blocs like legos, duplos or megablocks
--hot wheels cars
--beads for making necklaces and bracelets
--educational games/toys for small children: block sets, puzzles using colors and shapes of varying types, games that require concentration such as memory, uno, crazy 8s)
--dolls
--small purses for young teen girls
--shoes for boys & girls

School supplies that we do NOT currently need:
--erasers
--scissors
--colored pencils
--calculators
--rulers
--markers
--pens or pencils
--crayons
--scotch tape
--stickers
--chalks

We always are looking for items for our fabulously popular clothing bazaar fund-raisers: We are having bazaars every other month, so if you're coming down and looking to clean out a few closets, we'd be happy to get your gently used clothes!

Our most popular item is clothing for kids. Small or medium adult sizes also sell well. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who come to the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:
--anything for infants or youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHTWEIGHT clothing, such as: shorts, t-shirts, skorts, bathing suits, camis, tank tops, flip-flops, sneakers, b-ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Children's Place, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - long ones are too long for locals.

Updated 2011 Wishlist

2011-03-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

LEAVING YOUR DONATION AT THE LIBRARY:
We now have an English speaking staff member, Carlos, who can answer any questions you have. Please do not hesitate to leave your donation with either Carlos, whether it's a donation in kind or a cash donation. He will ask you to sign our guest book with your name, address and a description of what you donated.

We are looking for someone with computer expertise who can help us set up a small computer lab! We are happy to report we now have enough machines but we need someone who can dedicate a day or 2 to help us set up an internal network so that all the computers can print off 1 printer. Expertise is the key, but if you have some of the necessary hardware (cables, etc) that would be great too!

Current most needed items include:
--toys/prizes for our after school program, scroll down for a list of suggested items
--HP printer cartridges, the following models: hp 21 black; hp 22 tricolor
--an all-in-one printer that prints, scans and copies
--Blank sheets of colored computer printer paper, various colors
--Pocket folders (2 pocket)
--Scotch tape and/or scotch tape dispensers
--laptop locks, or a cable that would enable us to lock all our laptops together and secure them to a wall or furniture
--AA batteries
--white-out/liquid corrector

Other items needed, but not as urgently:
--packs of solid colored craft foam sheets, used for arts and crafts projects
--colored pencils
--liquid white glue such as elmer's
--water based/washable liquid paints such as crayola kids paint (liter size or larger)
--construction paper
--laminating sheets, various sizes, but especially letter size
--child safe scissors with rounded points
--3 ring binders
--Letter size clear plastic sleeves that can be used in a 3 ring binder
--Play Doh (or generic brand)-- small size cans keep longer in this climate
--Poster board, white or any color. Sam's and City Club in Playa del Carmen sell this in packs of 100-200 sheets
--Various kinds of paper to use in art projects: tissue paper, crepe paper & shiny/foil paper in assorted colors
--blank white paper (8-1/2 x 11) such as copy paper or any standard paper sold in bulk

We always need toys/prizes for our after-school reading program:
please remember, NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).
some suggested toy items:
Silly bands, bead sets for making bracelets and necklaces, backpacks, cool notebooks, binders or folders, frisbees, jump ropes, toy car sets, stuffed animals (any kind), jewelry-making sets, bracelet/necklace/bead making kits, hair accessories kits and sets, any kind of art kit (paint by number/velvet/water-color), dolls, doll clothing, anything with a superhero or cartoon character theme, building sets, kites, pog sets, airplanes, toy car kits, maze or other puzzle books (that don't require English to solve), coloring books, punchy balloon things, kids chemistry sets, or nature explorer sets, or any kind of science oriented toys, water toys: rafts, other inflatable toys, balls for playing in the ocean, snorkels, masks, balls (baseball, football, soccer, volleyball, any ball!), tote bags, or small purses/change purses for girls, puppets.
suggested items for older kids (ages 12-15): Hannah Montana items of any kind. Adolescent themed folders, notebooks, pencil cases, etc., date books/agendas, diaries, pen sets, cd cases, pencil cases, music boxes, jewelery boxes, backpacks, small USB drives for saving their homework.
-->Or ask your own kids, grandkids, nephews & nieces, they can tell you what's cool and what's not! Better yet, ask them to come along on a shopping trip and help you pick out stuff to bring, they'll love it!

Items for our fabulously popular clothing bazaar fund-raisers: We are having bazaars every other month, so if you're coming down and looking to clean out a few closets, we'd be happy to get your gently used clothes!

Our most popular item is clothing for kids. Small or medium adult sizes also sell well. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who come to the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:

--anything for infants or youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHT clothing, such as: shorts, t-shirts, skorts, bathing suits, camis, tank tops, flip-flops, sneakers, b-ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Children's Place, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - long ones are too long for locals.

Items we NO LONGER need:
--staplers
--clear book covers
--Camera batteries, 2 lithium batteries, CR2, 3V
--thick or jumbo crayons

questions? email us: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Back to school: Fall 2010 wishlist

2010-07-31T06:34:00.000-06:00

Below are items we are hoping to receive in the next month so that we can support local families by giving school supplies to the kids.

Note that items on the list below are still needed as well!

LEAVING YOUR DONATION AT THE LIBRARY:
Our assistant director, Carlos, speaks English and can answer any questions you have. Please do not hesitate to leave your donation with either Carlos or Leo, our director, whether it's a donation in kind or a cash donation. They will ask you to sign our guest book with your name, address and a description of what you donated.

Any of these supplies can be purchased locally in Playa del Carmen at any of the large supermarkets, superstores or office supply stores such as Sam's, Cityclub, Walmart, Mega, Chedraui, or Office Depot/Max.

--notebooks (softcover) & composition books (hardcover), both lined and with graph paper, standard size (8-1/2 x 11)
--half size notebooks, hardcover: these are only available locally; we've never seen this style available in the U.S.
--blank white paper (8-1/2 x 11) such as copy paper or any standard paper sold in bulk
--geometry sets that include pencil compass, triangles, protractor, etc.
--child safe scissors with rounded points
--thick or jumbo crayons in sets that can be distributed individually (8- or 12-pack sets)
--colored pencils, also in packs (12 colors per set) that can be distributed individually
--pencil sharpeners
--erasers
--pens in red, blue and black
--2 color pens in red & blue
--permanent markers in black, blue & red
--glue sticks
--calculators, preferably solar powered
--clear book covers
--

Updated General Wish List 2010

2010-07-30T11:07:00.000-06:00

Our most popular item is clothing for kids. Small or medium adult sizes also sell well. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who come to the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:

--anything for infants or youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHT clothing-shorts, t-shirts, skorts, bathing suits, camis, tank tops, flip-flops, sneakers, b-ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Children's Place, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - long ones are too long for locals.

Toys/prizes for our after-school reading program:
please remember, NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).
some suggested toy items:
Ball caps, backpacks, cool notebooks, binders or folders, frisbees, jump ropes,
toy car sets, stuffed animals (any kind), jewelry-making sets, bracelet/necklace/bead making kits, hair accessories kits and sets, any kind of art kit (paint by number/velvet/water-color), dolls, doll clothing, anything Dora the Explorer or Diego the Animal rescuer, building sets, kites, soccer balls, pog sets, airplanes, toy car kits, maze or other puzzle books (that don't require English to solve), coloring books, punchy balloon things, kids chemistry sets, or nature explorer sets, or any kind of science oriented toys, water toys: rafts, other inflatable toys, balls for playing in the ocean, snorkels, masks, balls (baseball, football, soccer, volleyball, any ball!), kites, tote bags, or small purses/change purses for girls, puppets.

suggested items for older kids (ages 12-15): Hannah Montana items such as folders, notebooks, pencil cases, etc., date books/agendas with adolescent themes, diaries, pen sets, cd cases, pencil cases, music boxes, jewelery boxes, backpacks.

Or ask your own kids, grandkids, nephews & nieces, they can tell you what's cool and what's not! Better yet, ask them to come along on a shopping trip and help you pick out stuff to bring, they'll love it!

School/office supplies:
(Note that many of these heavier items can be purchased at reasonable prices locally (in Playa del Carmen) at Sam's, Walmart, Office Depot/Office Max or any of the large grocery or club stores. We mention this since people may not want to pay luggage fees for hauling down suitcases full of paper!)

--work books with math (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) or writing exercises for preschool age, and elementary grade levels.
--Blank sheets of white paper (letter size), copy & multi-purpose paper is just fine (we don't need the expensive stuff)
--Blank sheets of colored computer printer paper, various colors
--Blocks of white drawing paper or newsprint quality paper (the pages in these are somewhat larger than letter size, we are not looking for the fancy/expensive stuff, just the type they sell in office supply stores)
--liquid glue, such as Elmer's white glue
--AA batteries
--water based/washable liquid paints such as crayola kids paint
--watercolor sets
--colored pencils (with 12 colors per set)
--labels refills for label maker: DYMO brand, size is 1/2" wide x 13' long
--Play Doh (or generic brand)-- having them in the small, standard size cans helps it keep longer in this climate. Sets of various colors (3-5 cans per set).
--small plastic trays or baskets to hold pencils, 10-15
--1 cork board, measuring approx 2 x 3 ft.
-- children's plastic aprons to use when doing art projects, see image for example:
--stackable paper trays (at least 10) see image for example:

Bigger ticket items:
--items to create a reading corner: an area rug measuring 6x8 or 8x1o and comfortable cushions or small bean bags
--a small all in one printer/scanner/copier and some extra ink cartridges
-- Donations to purchase a fire extinguisher & evacuation signs. This is necessary given the amount of paper and books in the library environment, to assure the safety of children and staff.
--a small library book cart for shelving books, with 3 shelves, see image for example:

--easels for children to use for painting/drawing, see image for example:

Items for library buildings & grounds:
--portable racks to hang clothes on during bazaars
--child size folding plastic or wood chairs & tables
--hanging bird feeders, or material for kids to make bird feeders or bird houses
--solar powered malibu lights to illuminate walkway at night (see image)

Some book titles we're interested in having in Spanish:
--Animacion a la lectura, by Isabel Sole
--Sobre estrategia de lectura, by Margarita Gomez Palacios
--Los Dibujos de los Ninos, by Antonio Machon

have questions? Email us at: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Items needed for summer program

2009-06-03T11:23:00.000-06:00

We just checked our supplies and here are some things that will be needed for the summer program:
-->School supplies: pencils, markers, paper (loose sheets of printer paper & drawing paper, pads of lined paper, preferably with wide lines for children learning how to write).

-->Dry-erase white board easels: 1-2 aluminum stand/easel for a dry-erase white board, to prop it up on. We use these for instruction.

--> Costumes, particularly anything pertaining to circus themes, as we will be repeating our children's circus finale to the summer program again this year. Suggested costumes would be clowns, ballerinas, animals, preferably nothing too commercial (no tv or movie characters).

OTHER ITEMS WE NEED:
>>Cash donations to help us pay our devoted staff and other operating expenses. Please consider giving what you might otherwise spend on toys or other items to donate. Without actual money we can't keep the library open.

>>Interior and exterior paint. We are due for a facelift. We need about 10 gallons of blue exterior paint and 3 gallons each of interior paint in the following colors: yellow, orange and white.

>>We are still seeking donations of used/recycled heavy wood doors to put on our annex building

>>Volunteers for:
-- repairs, gardening, computer upkeep, etc. We always have odd jobs from the small to the large that need to be done
--working with the kids: teaching, doing arts & crafts, just about anything you'd like to organize to do with the kids at the library

>> toys to use for prizes for our after-school reading program:
please remember, NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).
some suggested toy items:
Ball caps, sunglasses, backpacks, cool notebooks. binders or folders, frisbees, jump ropes,
toy car sets, stuffed animals (does not matter what kind), jewelry-making sets, bracelet/necklace/bead making kits, hair accessories kits and sets, any kind of art kit (paint by number/velvet/water-color), dolls, doll clothing, anything Dora the Explorer or Diego the Animal rescuer, kites, soccer balls, pog sets, airplanes, toy car kits, simple puzzles (jigsaw), coloring books, punchy balloon things, any kind of tote bag or backpack.

>>puzzles for younger kids (200 pieces or less) and board games in Spanish (locals and visitors alike enjoy using these items, especially on rainy days! )
We have quite a few 500 piece puzzles, but these are too challenging for the kids. Puzzles with larger pieces, and especially floor puzzles are well-liked.

>>Items for our fabulously popular clothing bazaar fund-raisers. We are having bazaars about every other month, so if you're coming down and looking to clean out a few closets, we'd be happy to get your gently used clothes!

Our most popular item is clothing for kids. Small or medium adult sizes also sell well. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who come to the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:

--anything for infants or youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHT clothing-shorts, t-shirts, shorts, bathing suits, camis, flip-flops, sneakers, b-ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - long ones are too long for locals.

Questions? Email us: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Running low on toys

2009-04-28T16:41:00.000-06:00

Well we never thought we'd see the day, but our toy supplies for prizes for our after school program have actually started to run low. In part, this is due to being open during the Easter break (we often close for a portion of the break) so the kids really racked up the points! Of course this also means they were actually learning during their vacation, so it's not a bad thing.

We know you all don't have much trouble finding appropriate, small toys for the kiddos here, but we'll give you a few suggestions (if you have kids of your own they can also probably clue you in on desirable items):

Please remember, NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).

>>We are usually short on gifts/toys for older kids (age 10-14): Ball caps, sunglasses, backpacks, cool notebooks. binders or folders, and kites.

>>For younger kids, both boys and girls like the car sets, stuffed animals (does not matter what kind), jewelry sets, bracelet/necklace/bead making kits, hair accessories kits and sets, any kind of art kit (paint by number/velvet/water-color), dolls, doll clothing, anything Dora the Explorer or Diego the Animal rescuer, kites, soccer balls, pog sets, airplanes, toy car kits, simple puzzles (jigsaw), coloring books, punchy balloon things, any kind of tote bag or backpack.

>>puzzles for younger kids (200 pieces or less) and board games in Spanish (locals and visitors alike enjoy using these items, especially on rainy days! )
We have quite a few 500 piece puzzles, but these are too challenging for the kids. Puzzles with larger pieces, and especially floor puzzles are well-liked.

OTHER ITEMS WE NEED:
>>Cash donations to help us pay our devoted staff and other operating expenses. Please consider giving what you might otherwise spend on toys or other items to donate. Without actual money we can't keep the library open.

>>Interior and exterior paint. We are due for a facelift. We need about 10 gallons of blue exterior paint and 3 gallons each of interior paint in the following colors: yellow, orange and white.

>>A large metal easel to support a dry-erase white board for our language classes.

>>We are still seeking donations of used/recycled heavy wood doors to put on our annex building

>>Volunteers for:
-- repairs, gardening, computer upkeep, etc. We always have odd jobs from the small to the large that need to be done
--working with the kids: teaching, doing arts & crafts, just about anything you'd like to organize to do with the kids at the library

>>Items for our fabulously popular clothing bazaar fund-raisers. We are having bazaars about every other month, so if you're coming down and looking to clean out a few closets, we'd be happy to get your gently used clothes!

Our most popular item is clothing for kids. SMALL adult sizes (small or medium) also sell well. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who frequent the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:

Things the library needs-- 2009

2009-02-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

>>Desperately seeking the donation of some bookcases! We have over-run our shelf space with all the wonderful book donations we've received and simply have no more space for them.

>>Furniture for the main library building. We need 1-2 card-sized tables & chairs to go with them. These need to be made out of wood or something sturdy, plastic won't hold up with all the wear and tear our furniture gets.

>>We are still seeking donations of used/recycled heavy wood doors to put on our annex building

>>Cash donations to help us pay our devoted staff and other operating expenses.

>>Volunteers for:
-- repairs, gardening, computer upkeep, etc. We always have odd jobs from the small to the large that need to be done
--working with the kids: teaching, doing arts & crafts, just about anything you'd like to organize to do with the kids at the library

>>4 laptop locks

>>1 black toner cartridge, number 12A for an HP 1020 laserjet

>>Items for our fabulously popular clothing bazaar fund-raisers. We are having bazaars about every other month, so if you're coming down and looking to clean out a few closets, we'd be happy to get your gently used clothes!

Our most popular item is clothing for kids. SMALL adult sizes (small or medium) sell best. Anything XL or larger is simply too big for the locals who frequent the bazaars.
Other items we sell well:

--anything for infants or youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHT clothing-shorts, t-shirts, shorts, bathing suits, camis, flip-flops, sneakers, b-ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - the long ones for Gringas are too long for our locals.

Questions? Email us: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Christmas Wishlist

2008-12-11T08:09:00.000-07:00

This year HB will give out wrapped Christmas gifts to around 80 children, so it takes us awhile to accumulate enough presents! We are still short on gifts for this year's party, coming up on December 20th.

Here are some suggested items that the kids like and have been asking for:
-stuffed animals of any kind
-dolls
-any type of action figure, for both boys and girls. some favorites are: superheroes (batman, superman, spiderman, wonderwoman, fantastic 4, etc.), diego & dora, power rangers, bratz
-any sort of Disney/Pixar/cartoon figure (McQueen, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, etc.) in the form of a stuffed animal or action figure type of toy

Questions? Email us: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Low season library needs

2008-09-26T13:56:00.000-06:00

We will be holding another clothing bazaar November 1 so if you're coming down and looking to clean out a few closets, we'd be happy to get your old clothes, especially kids' stuff!

Our most popular item is clothing for kids.
But here's a longer list of things:

--gently used clothing, especially newborn & youth sizes, or small adult sizes, LIGHT clothing-shorts, t-shirts, shorts, bathing suits, camis, flip-flops, sneakers, ball caps, sun hats, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Circo, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - the long ones for Gringas are too long for our locals.

--old but still functional electronics such as radios, CD players or small stereo components, DVD players [as long as these items are used (not new) & packed in luggage (rather than in their original boxes) it should not be any problem to bring them into the country]

--used but still functional household items such as light weight linens, sheets or towels, curtains, anything that is in good condition and you think could be used by another family.

Other needs:
--Right now we are in dire need of cash donations to help us keep our staff paid and electricity on during the low season when visitors are scarce. For more information on how to donate, see our donation blog: http://hekab-be-paypal.blogspot.com/

--We need new tables and chairs for the main library, the ones we have are old and falling apart. These would obviously have to be purchased locally. We are looking for 2 sturdy card- tables, either wood or durable plastic (the plastic furniture for outdoors simply won't hold up with all the use they get in the library) and accompanying chairs.

--We need new doors for our annex building, as the ones we have now are not sturdy enough. We are looking for heavy/solid wood doors or steel doors that have a frame, as well as assistance in hanging them.

--Used DVDs in English or Spanish

--Used computers with flat screens or CPUs. Maybe your business or school district has just upgraded their machines and is looking for a place to donate the old ones? Anything running Windows XP or higher would be a welcome addition, as most of our equipment is quite outdated.

--The only school supplies we need are:
-pencil sharpeners and erasers
-washable (water based) poster paints, in large sizes (like the 1 liter size bottles)
- poster size paper (either posterboard or heavy paper, not newsprint)
-coloring books
- children's workbooks that have connect the dots, mazes, word finds (in Spanish), ABCs (in Spanish) or simple math excercises.
Well loves themes for the coloring/work books are Spiderman and Disney characters.

Have a question about a certain item? Email us at: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Back to school wishlist

2008-08-29T09:35:00.000-06:00

It's about that time of year when every one's gearing up for back to school. Our needs haven't changed much from the usual requests.
But in case you're wondering what you can get for the library as you do your own back-to-school shopping, here's our list:
Please remember, NO broken toys, NO big toys (no room in crowded homes), NO toys or games that require knowledge of English, and NO toys that need batteries (no money to replace them).

--prizes (small toys) and school supplies for kids who take part in our regular after school reading activities. Below are some suggested items, but if you have kids they can probably clue you in even better than we can as to what's desired these days.

--We are usually short on gifts/toys for older kids (age 10-14). Ball caps, sunglasses, backpacks, geometry sets (like with triangles, a protractor and compass for drawing circles), solar calculators, cool notebooks, balls (soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball) and kites.

--For younger kids, both boys and girls like the car sets, stuffed animals (does not matter what kind), jewelry sets, bracelet/necklace/bead making kits, hair accessories kits and sets, any kind of art kit (paint by number/velvet/water-color), dolls, doll clothing, anything Dora the Explorer or Diego the Animal rescuer, kites, soccer balls, pog sets, airplanes, toy car kits, simple puzzles (jigsaw) coloring books, punchy balloon things, any kind of tote bag or backpack

--puzzles for younger kids (100 pieces or less) and board games in Spanish (locals and visitors alike enjoy using these items, especially on rainy days! )
We have quite a few 500 piece puzzles, but these are too challenging for the kids. Puzzles with larger pieces, and especially floor puzzles are well-liked.

As always, we still need the following items:

--3 CPUs/computers (used is fine, as long as it can run Windows XP)

--gently used clothing for children and teens

--volunteers for improvement projects: painting, repairs, gardening, etc.

what we don't need:
--We have plenty of pencils, pens, markers, crayons to last into the school year

IF YOU HAVE VISITED THE LIBRARY AND SEEN ITS GOOD WORK:
1. Tell a friend. Perhaps you can forward this information to a friend or family member who may consider making a donation.

2. Post a photo. Did you take a photo of the library during your last vacation? Post it on a message board and/or e-mail it to us to put on our blog, we love sharing the inspiring stories of friendships people have made at Hekab Be.

3. Write about your experience at the library on a message board and/or email it to us to post on our main blog.

OUR EMAIL: akumallibrary@gmail.com

Used clothing, electronics & household items needed for fundraisers

2008-08-28T11:15:00.000-06:00

Our last bazaar was a big success thanks to everyone who donated items. We are hoping to continue doing these fundraisers on a regular monthly or bi-monthly basis, so keep bringing your wonderful used things!

We are currently gathering up items for a yard sale/bazaar to benefit the library. The clothing that our wonderful supporters donate are sold at very reasonable rates (yard/garage sale prices). This provides an outlet for local townspeople to buy items they need at reasonable prices and gives them access to things that are not readily available in stores here. (Please note that if you donated clothing at the library and asked that it be given to needy families, we do *not* include those in our sales, we find families who can make the best use of it).

These bazaars are extremely popular among the town residents, who are always asking Maggie when the next one will be. The answer is always: "When we gather up enough stuff to hold the next sale!"

Due to the success we've had with the sale of clothing, we are expanding to include other items.

Donated items could include:

--gently used clothing, especially newborn & youth sizes, or small adult sizes,LIGHT clothing-shorts, t-shirts, camis, flip-flops, ball caps, sun hats, sunglasses, umbrellas, any trendy clothes - Old Navy, Abercrombie, Gap... Light SHORT skirts - the long ones for Gringas are too long for our locals.
--old but still functional electronics such as radios, cd/tape players or small stereo components, dvd or vhs players [as long as these items are used (not new) & packed in luggage (rather than in their original boxes) it should not be any problem to bring them into the country]
--used but still functional household items such as kitchenware, small kitchen appliances (toasters, coffee pots, blenders, microwaves), pots & pans, bakeware, small lamps, tupperware stuff, plastic (durable) plates and cups, decorative items, light weight linens, sheets or towels, curtains, anything that is in good condition and you think could be used by another family.

If you have questions about whether a certain item would be useful here or not, email us:
akumallibrary@gmail.com

Summer program wishlist

2008-06-05T13:16:00.000-06:00

Here are some things we will need for our upcoming summer program:

--prizes for the "best reader" competitions, we are hoping to give one to a girl and one to a boy in each group (ages 5-7; 8-11, 12 and up). These would be bigger our than usual prizes, such as nice backpacks or other things the kids can use to go back to
school.

--Monetary donations to help us pay our additional staff for the summer program and to pay for the party at the end of the course (food & pinatas)

For the children's circus we will need the following:
--Instruments (all kinds except keyboards): we need instruments that the kids can really play, so either very durable (and good sounding) toy instruments, or else real (but kid sized) instruments that are inexpensive. Suggestions: drums, recorders, harmonicas, maracas, ukuleles...

--gently used Halloween costumes, that will fit kids ages 5-14 (with more of the smaller sizes) especially clown, ballerina & animal costumes. Please remember that it's very hot here in August, so nothing too thick or heavy.

--animal print fabrics to make costumes, again nothing too heavy weight. we need at least 3-5 yards of any one materials so that there is enough to make a child's costume

--for the circus MC: one black top hat and one black dinner jacket (men's size small)

--nontoxic costume makeup

--circus props and costumes items (juggling equipment, clowns noses/wigs/shoes, gag toys, anything you have around the house that could be used as a circus prop!)

Honored library supporters

2008-04-07T09:04:00.000-06:00

Library friends, old and new, are the people who keep Hekab Be going. Here we honor
the Oakleys and the Ratliffs.
Deborah & Bruce Oakley are long-time library supporters who have faithfully and generously supported the library for the past 10 years. Most recently they helped organize the inauguration of a new library collection: the Fred Groves Memorial Collection. HB is very proud of having the honor to house this collection. Fred Groves was a long time resident of Tankah and through the generosity of his widow and the assistance of Deborah and Bruce Oakley, the library now has a fine collection of books on alternative energy sources.

Deobrah (far right in white shirt) and other library friends from Tankah enjoy some smiles and snacks with the kids during the inauguration of the Fred Groves' collection

Bruce (front center, sitting cross-legged), Tankah friends and the library gang take a moment to memorialize the inauguration event.

==================================
Paul & Babs Ratliff are newer library friends, who have put in a lot of time & energy to help keep things in running order around the library by working on building improvements. Most recently they organized the LG toolbox project so that volunteers have what they need to help HB keep things running, and with the help of Babs' sister and brother-in-law, rewired the electricity in the HB annex buildings.

Here's a a brief bio from Paul aka Badger:
My name is Paul (Badger on Locogringo) my wife's name is Babs.
Our first visit to Akumal was in January of 2006 where we met Gary B (Shapeshifter), who was the first person to tell us about the Library and encouraged us to stop by and introduce ourselves to Maggie.
I am a contractor and able to do carpentry, wiring, plumbing, etc., so together with my wife we try to find a project or two to work on at the library whenever we vacation in Akumal.As anyone who has volunteered at the Library can tell you, the work is very rewarding and greatly appreciated.

Badger hard at work making repairs at HB

Badger & Maggie enjoying some down time at the Pescador

2008 wishes

2008-01-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

here are some current needs at the library:

All these are items that can be purchased locally (meaning in Playa del Carmen) or if you'd like to donate towards a specific item, just indicate that when you make your donation.

--large plastic storage bins with tops that close tightly. we need these to store our materials without them deteriorating in the humidity or becoming bug infested. at least 6 would be great to have around.

--a ladder (at least 6 ft tall) for our many repairs and improvement projects.

--several brooms, including one for outdoor use.

--rustoleum. we have several metal shelves that were donated to the library which need to be refinished. we plan to sand and paint them and would like to spray them with rustoleum to prevent them from rusting again.

--new computers. by new we mean gently used and not too out of date CPUs. we have monitors and keyboards but all of our CPUs are out of order. battling with humidity is a constant struggle for our computers. have you just upgraded your computer and don't know what to do with your old one? consider bringing it down. or you may contact Maggie or Alice to help you locate someone else coming down who can bring it for you.

Hekab Be also still needs the following:
--gently used clothing for children and teens

--adult vhs tapes and dvd's in Spanish - for learning English, n parenting or other educational topics such as health care, do it yourself, etc......

--volunteers for other improvement projects- painting, repairs, gardening...

--and as always, donations for operating costs. We are back in high season and hope that our donations will pick up but are currently running in deficit after the holidays. Please consider giving, every little bit helps!

December wishes

2007-12-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Holiday Donations & Volunteers needed
We are now preparing for two big upcoming events the Annual Christmas Clothing Bazaar (to be held on Saturday Dec. 15th) and the Annual Christmas Fiesta to be held on Wednesday Dec. 19th: Both of these events require a lot of VOLUNTEER assistance and in the case of the Christmas Fiesta CASH DONATIONS to provide lunch and piñatas. This year´s menu will be Spaghetti, Empanadas, Vegetable Salad and Cake. Costs for these food items will be around $2,500 (mx). We anticipate at least 100 kids and about 40 adults. Every child receives a wrapped Christmas present given to them by Santa Claus (Santa Bart Smith of Turtle Bay Bakery).

Help a child in need-- Eric Fund
At present we have a dire need of sponsorship for a 3 -1/2 year old mentally retarded boy named Eric. The library (with some local assistance) has been contributing $200 pesos a week for him to take the bus (with his mother) to Playa del Carmen and attend special classes 3 times a week – the costs covers tuition and transportation.
His Mother recently informed me that he was accepted to attend the school daily – now requiring double the expenses = $400 pesos per week. If anyone can help with this endeavor (either partially or in full) please do not hesitate to contact us or donate via PayPal (If using Paypal be sure to specify ‘Eric fund’ in the paypal form so we can track those donations.)

Holiday party gifts needed

2007-11-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

Thinking ahead for the Xmas party (which will be held Weds, Dec. 19th in the morning):

We are usually short on gifts/toys for older kids (age 10-14), and will try to post some suggested items in the near future, but for the time being think 'big kids.' Please remember, no battery toys, it's too costly for families to replace.
For younger kids, both boys and girls like the car sets, stuffed animals (does not matter what kind), jewelry sets, bracelet/necklace/bead making kits, hair accessories kits and sets, any kind of art kit (paint by number/velvet/water-color), dolls, doll clothing, anything Dora the Explorer, kites, soccer balls, pog sets, airplanes, car kits, simple puzzles (jigsaw) coloring books with markers or crayolas, punchy balloon things, backpacks (any kind of bag to carry stuff in).

We will need things like gift bags or wrapping paper, holiday treats such as candy canes (or other candy that won't melt!!) are nice to share as well.

We always need volunteers to help with the party, the turn out is always large so the more hands the better-- we will let people know soon about the date for the party.

Donations need for art classes

2007-10-29T15:14:00.000-06:00

HB is starting free art classes next week which will be taught by local, accomplished artists. We are in great need of some art supplies, here is what is most needed:

--REAL art supplies- heavy paper, acrylics, watercolors, gesso, brushes, pastels.... Some of things can be purchased locally but we also need cash donations as they are not cheap! Paint especially can be expensive.

--Are you an artist who wants to share your skills with Akumal children? Contact Maggie to find out how you can help.

--DRY ERASE MARKERS - we are teaching so much that they are all getting used up. Black is best for teaching. (We use the dry erase boards like a chalk board).

NEW -Sponsor/Donor of the Month!

2007-10-26T11:32:00.000-06:00

Beginning this month we will be recognizing on a bimonthly basis- donors and Sponsors who have given so much of themselves and their time to help the Hekab Be Biblioteca de Akumal.

I planned to begin doing this early this year, but a lot of work and maybe some procrastination.... as they say "better late than never".

It is Sponsors like Terri Gerhardt (and her husband Dave) that keep this library alive and functioning!

Please read a profile about Terri below.

Terri G.
*born and raised in Edmonton Alberta Canada [not British Columbia..]
*I have 2 daughters and a son from a previous marriage..29,23 and 21 years of age..
*I have been with Canada Safeway since 1974
*Married to my best friend Dave in 1997
*Diagnosed with breast cancer 1998..double mastectomy
*recurrance in 1999... radiation
*cancer-free since !!!!!
*discovered Akumal in April 2005 and locogringo sept'05
*Learned of the library's plight there after Emily and Wilma had wreaked their havoc! !
* I attended the La Buena Vida party 11/12/05 and Red Deer Alberta fundraiser one week later..to raise funds for Hekab..
*purchased silent auction items from LG parties in Ontario and Chicago as I cannot attend ALL the parties, contrary to popular beliefs !!!!
*Visited Akumal again in March- April '06 and organized another Hekab fundraiser...
*again in July '06 and most recently January '07

as a two-time survivor I try to equate myself to the little library..it too is a two-time survivor..so let's do what we can together !!

PLEASE NOTE: Terri recently found out that her cancer has returned and she is vigorously fighting it- once again! Once again she will beat it! Please keep Terri in your thoughts and prayers

Current (Sept 2007) Wish List

2007-09-14T08:35:00.000-06:00

Our needs at present address those of our local community as well as those further south that were hit by Hurricane Dean.

We desperately are in need of volunteer help from Doctors, Nurses, and Practioners.
Unlike public schools in the U.S., Canada and Europe, our local schools do not test these children for eye and hearing problems. As a result when they do develop problems they are compounded from lack of proper care. Maybe an eye and ear clinic?
Please contact Maggiemk@aol.com if you can provide any volunteer medical services.

We Need: Volunteers, to teacher assist, to do science projects and other educational projects, to do arts & crafts, to guest lecture, to do guest performances.... If you have a special interest that you feel would receive a good audience at the library please do not hesitate to contact us.

********BACK ON THE LIST - SCHOOL SUPPLIES (These are for Hurricane Dean areas)

FOR THE AREAS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE DEAN:
--Canned goods.
--used clothing.
--toys.(stuffed animals particularly)
--diapers.
--bottles and formula.

Hekab Be also still needs the following:
--gently used clothing (also for Hurricane Dean areas - *please stipulate whether these are for the library or for areas hit by Hurricane Dean when you drop these off)

1) flash cards for multiplication and division
2) little toy cars (matchbox or hotwheels size)
3) children's dvd's and vhs tapes in Spanish
4) adult vhs tapes and dvd's in Spanish - for learning English, on parenting or other educational topics such as health care, do it yourself, etc......

--volunteers for other improvement projects- painting, repairs, gardening...

--and as always, donations for operating costs.This is the low season and we tend to deplete our funds during these months when visitors are fewer. Your donation at this time can make all the difference to help us stay open and pay our dedicated staff until the season picks up again. Remember, tourism is seasonal but learning is not!!

Summer wishlist

2007-06-21T09:17:00.000-06:00

Some new requests for the summer program at Hekab Be:

--Spiral notebooks
--Volunteers to do science projects or other educational projects.

We also still need (see Feb 16 posting below):
--gently used clothing
--volunteers for other improvement projects
--donations for operating costs

February Wishlist is still current

2007-06-12T08:06:00.001-06:00

While wandering around on loco gringo we noticed some people asking for the most current library Wishlist.
Please note that we do *not* update the wishlist every month simply because our needs do not change that often. So even though this last list was posted in February, it is still up to date.
Check back in the near future as we may post again soon with a new wishlist related to our upcoming summer school program needs.
And thanks to all of you who work so hard to make sure you bring what the library needs! We can't tell you enough how much we appreciate it!!

--> Please note our donation information has been moved to another page. Please click on the link to the left "Hekab Be Donation Site" to access that page.

2007 Library wishlist

2007-02-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all your generosity, we are up to our eyeballs in crayons and other school supplies, for the time being. We will be sharing some of these precious resources with other local libraries in need.

At the moment, our greatest needs are:
(1) Your time - if you are going to be in the area, consider donating an afternoon of your time to help with various projects (painting, organizing our space, checking in books, etc.). Contact Maggie to plan a time: Maggiemk@aol.com

(2) Your money - while last year was one of our best so far in terms of meeting our financial needs, please remember that your monetary donations are the only thing that helps pay the bills and other library expenses. Our budget is modest, but still requires cash flow. We don't receive any government funds or money from other sources. We operate purely on private donations from our wonderful library friends.

(3) Your old clothes - we need gently used clothing for teens, children & infants.

And of course, we're always happy to have people come in to work with the kids doing crafts, reading or other age-appropriate projects. Come share your expertise!

Thanks for all the Christmas Gifts

2006-12-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Even with a bigger than expected turnout, we still had plenty of gifts so that no one went home empty handed. Thank you to all who generously thought ahead & sent or brought down presents!

Gently used clothing needed

2006-11-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

For all of you who have closets full of hand-me-downs waiting for someone to give them to....HB is asking for donations of gently used clothes for children and teens.

Gifts for the annual HB Holiday Party

2006-10-24T15:17:00.000-06:00

Wow! you must all be planners as it's not even Halloween and we already have folks asking about what they can donate for our annual Christmas Party, scheduled for Thursday, December 21.

Here's a list of girls and boys favorite picks, from Maggie & Carlos.

We already have many items appropriate as gifts for the younger kids, but need some more for the older ones:
backpacks
watches (for children--boys & girls-- nothing too fancy please)
sandals (youth sizes)
bandanas
bracelets
necklaces
light perfume
hair accessories (barettes, clips, etc)
English language t-shirts
yo-yo's
small handbags
sunglasses
baseball caps
any kind of doll that can be dressed up (has a change of clothing)
all the SuperHero stuff (Spiderman is a favorite)
Dinosaurs are also still a popular choice

Back to school-- things we need & don't

2006-09-21T07:58:00.000-06:00

hello from Hekab Be. It's early fall, though it still feels like summer around here...it's quiet and the visitors are few, but kids are back to school and in need of materials nonetheless...

Here's our latest wish list (please also scroll down to the bottom for items that we currently do *not* need)

for the kids--
Pocket Folders
Markers
Spiral notebooks
zippered pencil bags
coloring books (bilingual would be great)
small dolls
matchbox cars
hair things
jewelry - especially beaded bracelets (the girls are all gaga over these)
any individually wrapped toy

for the library--
plastic storage tubs
paint (exterior/interior) - can be bought locally
cleaning supplies (contact Maggie for details, best place to get these is at Sam's/Costco in bulk)
**a PLUMBER - someone with plumbing skills to help us get a pipe from the water source to the toilet. And material (pipes, etc) for when a plumber is found.

Computers (please nothing more than 2-3 years old. preferably running Win XP)
Educational DVD's and kid/family classics in Spanish
Wooden Chairs/plastic chairs
Area rugs - 1) for children's room with numbers/alphabet 1) solid or print for adult reading area

books--
ADULT FICTION IN SPANISH - GRISHAM, GRAFTON, KING,PATTERSON, COELHO, SARAMAGO, GARCIA MARQUEZ (less well known titles- we already have the more common ones)
ANY CONTEMPORARY LATINO FICTION.
We still need a copy of "Mammals of the Yucatan" - we have it on DVD but would like to have the book in both Eng. and Span.
A Mental Health book or any psychiatry/psychology books for both teens and adults in Spanish
A Spanish-Italian dictionary

Things we don't currently need:
printer paper
colored paper
crayons

Questions? contact Maggie: Maggiemk@aol.com

When you wish upon a star.....

2006-03-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

Our most recent experience of raising enough money for the roof, with the help of many library friends, has helped us see that sometimes it does pay to wish big!!!

So you say, now that we are on our way to getting a new roof, what else could we possibly need?

Well the truth is the roof is just the beginning. Many other items will be needed to make those new spaces operational. Here is a list put together by Maggie:

We need screens for 7 windows and the front door. We need new doors on the 2 outbuildings. We need wooden shutters for 6 windows, wood to build a long desk & bookshelves, about 20 chairs (we could do plastic). One of the rooms we will turn into a classroom - the one with the bathroom - we need a door for the bathroom - we need 2 chalk boards (or dry erase) - we need to connect the outbuildings up to the electricity, and with electricity, we need at least 2 ceiling fans.

All these materials are available locally, and we don't recommend trying to bring them down. But on your next trip maybe you want to visit a Mexican lumber yard or hardware store? Or send a donation to Alice (details below) and specify what you'd like to donate, we'll make it happen!

Eventually we will need to repaint the newly roofed rooms, and will need help getting it all in order. those with carpentry skills could help build tables, bookshelves, doors, and ?? Let us know if you want to come get your hands dirty with HB.

Looking for something smaller to bring down? keep reading below for a list of packable items.

Current wishes

2006-01-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

Please help with donations in dollars (or pesos) if you can!! We are still hurting to get things back in order in the aftermath of hurricane Wilma, including no electricity. But the good news is that the electricity should be restored TODAY!!!! This will be the first time since July and we are all VERY happy about this.

If you are visiting near Akumal, just stop by and give your donation in pesos, U.S. dollars, or a U.S. check made out to Hekab Be Biblioteca.

If you are not going down soon, you can mail a U.S. check made out to "Hekab Be Biblioteca" to me, a library friend in Arizona.

Alice Gartell
906 W. 14th St.
Tempe, Az 85281

I will make sure that your checks are used directly by the library to help our amigos in Akumal.

The library also always needs

SCHOOL SUPPLIES:

Students in the public primary school must provide their own school supplies. For some families, this is no problem, but for others it is a great hardship. Children can earn all or almost all of their school supplies when ou donate them and the children "buy" them with points earned by reading and other educational activities. The required school supplies are:

notebooks (preferably wire bound and 100 lined pages)
pens (blue or black)
colored pencils
erasers
crayons
scissors (both child's scissors for the little guys and adult scissors for older children)
highlighters (yellow)
pocket folders
Spanish academic dictionary (for the older children)

LITTLE TOYS, GAMES AND PRIZES

The children also "buy" little trinkets with their points earned by reading and writing activities. They especially like:
hair barrettes and ornaments
balls (any kind, but especially soccer balls plus an air pump if possible)
matchbox cars
little super heros
toys that come with fast food meals
coloring books
little animals, especially dinosaurs
bean bag type toys
beach toys, balls, goggles, etc. ,
any simple games that don't require English, such as dominos, jenga, or a memory game
jump ropes
legos
yoyos
baby dolls (dark hair preferred)
markers (ezerace for the library and regular for the kids)

Please do NOT bring toys that are broken, that need batteries (no money to replace them) and no toys or games that require English.

Library Supplies

The library can always use all kinds of supplies for the children's activities. Remember, the library buys NOTHING. If you don't bring it, they don't have it. The library can always use:

markers (ezerace and regular)
paintbrushes (watercolor)
paints (tempra preferred)
any kind of paper, (especially construction paper for crafts)
tape (transparent. masking and duct tape)

Gently used kids clothing, (hand me downs from your own children)-- we did really well on our last clothing bazaar and plan to continue doing them on a bi-monthly basis.
Please nothing with batteries, nothing broken, and nothing that requires English to use.

Please do not bring down children's books in English, give them to a charity in the states. A few tourist and expat children read them, but more really are not needed, we are currently bursting out of our space!! in time, if we can expand our space we could operate a separate collection room with English books, but for now that's just daydreaming!

If you have questions, you can e-mail Alice at: gartell@aol.com or Maggie at: Maggiemk@aol.com.

Muchas gracias.

Welcome

2005-12-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our wish list blog site. We will be posting here on a regular basis so that library visitors and supporters can easily find out the most current needs at Hekab Be.