The Rural Libraries in Cajamarca is much more than a library - volunteer librarians walk with books on their backs travelling up to 2 days at a time to remote farms, 3000m and higher, to deliver books to an extensive network of 556 libraries which are kept in peoples' homes high in the Andes. The libraries have been responsible for publishing 130 different books on a variety of practical subjects including farming, natural dyeing, weaving and hat making, all to keep the local indigenous skills alive. They have transcribed the traditional tales from the elders into stories that are then retold by the children and adults who are learning to read, keeping a record of the tales from the mountains. They have written books on how to use the local herbs for medicines. One of the most requested publications is the Peruvian constitution. This is used, along with other law books, to help the local farmers establish their legal rights as their land sits on a massive gold reserve which is being mined by a large international conglomerate with drastic environmental consequences. One of the librarians and his family said just how important the community of the libraries was to their way of life - since the project began 'We have lost the shame' of living as second class citizens within Peru. There are 74,000 readers registered and many more ‘listening readers’. The project is entirely run by volunteers and supports the indigenous community educationally, socially, culturally and politically. Any donations will be very gratefully received and will be spent on publishing new books and contributing to the costs of transport and accommodation when the librarians come to the town twice a year for their assemblies.
