One of my favorite places to visit in Puerto Vallarta is the local library, Biblioteca Los Mangos (Los Mangos Library). It is always buzzing with patrons eagerly searching for a “good read” and children who are anxiously awaiting the next live show featuring puppets, singing and dancing.
Community club members bustle with excitement as they head into a meeting room and rows of busy Internet users are tapping away at their keyboards. The energy is contagious and each experience is unique.
I remember this excitement from my childhood. Every weekend, my sister and I would hold hands, skip through our library doors and anxiously search for stories of princesses, ballerinas and far away lands.
Row after row of book stacks and magazine racks, we finally claimed our literary treasures and stuffed them into our canvas book bags. Once we were safely strapped into the family station wagon, my sister and I would categorize our reading selections.
These four were to be read in the car; this one was for our homemade fort; and these ten were saved for Daddy who would read to us at night. Our love of reading was certainly fostered by the library and through the years, we have become avid readers.
When we travel, we often visit libraries to get a sense of the local community.
Although the years have passed, the things that I remember as a child are still evident here at PV’s Los Mangos Library. Excited children continue to skip through the entrance, dreaming of books filled with fun and adventure. Adults thumb through pages of inspirational learning.
The ever-present smell of printed pages still fills the air and the soft hush of a librarian is always heard.
Since it’s opening in 1996, the goal of the Los Mangos Library has been to encourage the love of reading and learning by offering a wealth of reading material in Spanish and English. To enhance the experience, they also provide countless activities and events. In fact, the Los Mangos Library is now considered a model library on the state and national level because of its dedication to our community.
Young readers will be thrilled with the vast array of bilingual picture, early reader and chapter books just for them.
These tools are perfect for learning a new language while appreciating another culture. Parents will want to check out the youth activity schedule for art and craft classes, music education and live entertainment.
As you can imagine, there is always something for adults to see and do at the library. Besides the books and periodical section, various classes are offered for a small fee. You can participate in art (painting and drawing), dance (Folkloric, Jazz, Ballet, Flamenco and contemporary), music (guitar and piano), Pilates, Yoga, and Aikido (a form of martial arts). For under $5, guests can eat tasty treats and enjoy artistic and mainstream films hosted by the Cinema Club.
If you love to buy gently used books, then you won’t want to miss the collection at the Los Mangos Library. Search through their bookcases filled with novels, non-fiction and poetry books. Who knows, maybe you will find a literary treasure of your own.
All donations will go toward library improvements and if you would like to contribute in a more permanent way, you can purchase a decorative tile to be placed on the entrance wall. Library cards are available and require a completed registration form, ID (passport), a receipt (phone or electricity bill) for address verification and two small passport-like headshots. The card is available the next day and gives the cardholder full access to the library, its resources and its amenities.
With so much available inside the Los Mangos Library, you won’t want to miss the fun outside! The SPCA hosts pet adoptions on Saturdays from 10-2.
Every eligible cat or dog has been bathed, sterilized, tested for disease, vaccinated, dewormed, as well as treated for ticks and fleas.
While the SPCA pays for these treatments, they do ask for an adoption donation. For those who would like to adopt a pet and travel abroad, the process is quite “user friendly”. Check with your airline for instructions and documentation.
Visiting the Los Mangos Library is a great activity to add to your vacation itinerary. If you are a long-term resident, it can be a staple for your adventures here in Mexico.
The Los Mangos Library is located at Avenue Francisco Villa 1001. They are open from 9-9, Monday through Friday and 10-6 on Saturdays.
For more information, call 322-224-9966 or check out their blog at biblioteca-los-mangos.blogspot.com.
Happy reading!
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