How does it work?

The Libros for Oregon committee selects 8-10 libraries to participate in the consortium each year. Three representatives will be selected to travel to the Guadalajara Book Fair (FIL) in the fall to buy materials on behalf of the libraries. Every library will submit plans for community engagement activities to connect their Spanish language collection with their community.

Vendors at the FIL will ship the selected materials to the purchasing libraries and provide the invoices.

Who can participate?

Any public or school library in the state of Oregon can apply to participate. LfO strives for balanced representation among the 8-10 selected libraries. We consider geographic region, underserved Spanish-speaking/Latinx populations, and more. Our goal is to pair inexperienced libraries and Travelers with those who have experience and can serve as mentors.

Why buy books at the Guadalajara Book Fair?

Spanish is the second most-spoken language in Oregon. However, many Oregon libraries lack easy access to high-quality, culturally relevant books in Spanish for our Hispanic/Latinx community members. Many such books, especially children’s books, and others written originally in Spanish, are simply not available in the United States. The Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL) is the largest Spanish language book fair in the world, providing access to high-quality materials not easily available through our usual channels in the United States.

How much does it cost? 

Each participating library contributes $300 for travel expenses, and then $1600-$2400 of materials is covered by a(n) LSTA grant for Spanish language materials purchased on their behalf at the FIL.