Sister Library

Taken on November 28, 2022, American Library Association booth, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. From Left to Right: Lessa Kananiopua Pelayo-Lozada, American Library Association President; Elizabeth Huff, Library Director; Mariana Perez, School Librarian, Colegio Salesiano Anahuac Chapalita; Michael Dowling, International Relations, American Library Association.

Sister Library, Colegio Salesian Anahuac Chapalita, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, December 2019

Mariana Perez, teacher; Monteserrat Valvides, Principal; Elizabeth Huff, Storm Lake; Michael Pryor, teacher; Michael Dowling, American Library Association

Since December 2017, the Storm Lake Public Library has had a Sister Library, Colegio Salisiano Anahuac Chapalita when Library Board President Hudspeth sent a letter to the Principal asking for an international partnership. This partnership is based on youth reading within both organizations. Supervised by the American Library Association, International Relations Office since 2018, Michael Dowling has witnessed every annual presentation of book gifts presented to the Sister by the Friends of the Storm Lake Public Library and the Library Trustees. The Friends give American Library Awards books such as the Caldecott, Newbery, Printz, Pura Belpre and other categories. The Trustees give a variety of youth books. During the Pandemic, the annual presentation has been by Zoom and attended by the Mayor and City Officials. Previous to the Pandemic, Library Director Huff taught the Sister Technology Faculty coding and robots, then shared the devices and robots with the students during her stay. The Sister has a bilingual program and the the book gifts help students learn English.