A national investigation reveals that Costa Rica lacks children’s libraries, permanent reading programs, and cultural policies for its largest population group: its children.
I. A Country That Celebrates Education but Forgets Its Children
Costa Rica prides itself on its educational tradition, yet nearly one million children grow up without a single place to lose themselves in books. There are no bright rooms filled with stories, no reading corners in hospitals, no children’s libraries in the neighborhoods where childhood unfolds.
While political candidates promise to “strengthen education,” none mention the cultural infrastructure required for children to discover the power of reading. The contradiction is stark: the country’s largest population group is also the most ignored in public policy.
II. The Magnitude of a Reality the Country Refuses to See
According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), Costa Rica has:
– Between 820,000 and 950,000 children ages 0–12
– More than 1.2 million people under 18
– One out of every four inhabitants is a child or adolescent
Despite this demographic weight, the cultural infrastructure dedicated to children is minimal, fragmented, and in many cases nonexistent.
III. A Country With Only One Children’s Library
Costa Rica has only one specialized children’s library:
The Miriam Álvarez Brenes Children’s Library (BIMAB) at the University of Costa Rica.
There are no children’s libraries in:
– Municipalities
– Cultural centers
– Ministries
– Hospitals
Nearly one million children depend on a single specialized space in the entire nation.
IV. Hospitals Without Books: An Emotional and Educational Debt
The National Children’s Hospital —the country’s most important pediatric center— does not have a children’s library.
There are playrooms and volunteer activities, but no:
– Permanent book collections
– Trained librarians
– Therapeutic reading programs
– Mobile book carts for hospital beds
Thousands of hospitalized children spend weeks or months without access to books, affecting both their emotional well‑being and their educational continuity.
V. What Organizations Actually Do: Findings From a National Investigation
This investigation reviewed documents, activities, coverage, impact, and continuity across the main organizations that claim to work in children’s reading.
The conclusion is clear:
Costa Rica does not have a national children’s reading system.
It has isolated efforts —valuable, yes— but insufficient, uncoordinated, and lacking infrastructure.
1. IBBY Costa Rica — Cultural Value, Limited Reach
IBBY Costa Rica focuses on:
– Training reading mediators
– Cultural activities
– Workshops and storytelling
However:
– It does not operate children’s libraries
– It does not run continuous territorial programs
– It does not publish impact metrics
– It depends heavily on volunteers
Meaningful work, but without structural impact.
2. SINABI — National Presence Without Specialized Children’s Services
The National Library System manages public libraries, but:
– Children’s sections are not true children’s libraries
– There is no specialized staff for early childhood
– Spaces are not designed for young readers
The “Viajemos con la lectura” bookmobile:
– Reaches rural areas
– Has extremely limited coverage
– Cannot replace fixed children’s libraries
Essential structure, but not specialized.
3. Colegio de Costa Rica — Culture Without Infrastructure
It promotes:
– Literary activities
– Publications
– Cultural programs
However:
– It does not operate children’s libraries
– It does not run permanent children’s reading programs
– The new national reading strategy has not yet been implemented
Cultural contribution without continuity or structure.
4. ADA – Amigos del Aprendizaje — The Exception With Evidence
ADA stands out for:
– Annual reports
– Coverage data
– Continuous school‑based programs
– Evaluation of results
Its focus is educational rather than community‑based, but it is the organization with the strongest evidence of real impact.
5. Community Initiatives — Valuable but Fragile
Across the country:
– Independent projects
– Home libraries
– Volunteer‑led reading circles
Findings:
– They depend on one or two individuals
– They lack budgets
– They lack continuity
– They are not connected to a national system
Admirable efforts, but not sustainable at scale.
VI. Central Finding of the Investigation
After reviewing documents, visiting spaces, interviewing stakeholders, and contrasting data, the conclusion is unavoidable:
Costa Rica does not have a children’s reading system.
It has isolated efforts —valuable but insufficient— without coordination, infrastructure, or continuity.
VII. The Most Serious Gaps
1. Only one children’s library in the entire country
2. Zero children’s libraries in hospitals
3. No National Children’s Reading Plan
4. Minimal coverage in rural and indigenous areas
5. Heavy dependence on volunteers
6. Lack of impact measurement in most organizations
7. No dedicated budget or cultural policy for children
VIII. What Political Candidates Propose — or Don’t
This investigation reviewed:
– Government plans
– Public statements
– Cultural proposals
– The National Policy for Children and Adolescents 2024–2036
The result:
– No candidate proposes children’s libraries
– No candidate mentions therapeutic reading in hospitals
– No candidate presents a funded national plan for children’s reading
The country’s largest population group remains absent from political debate.
IX. What Costa Rica Should Demand
– Municipal children’s libraries
– A children’s library inside the National Children’s Hospital
– A National Children’s Reading Program
– Mobile libraries for rural and indigenous regions
– Training for reading mediators
– Real budgets, not general promises
X. Editorial Closing: The Debt That Defines a Nation
A country is measured by how it treats its children.
Costa Rica celebrates education, yet fails to provide the basic spaces that allow reading to become part of childhood.
Without infrastructure, there is no access. Without access, there is no reading. Without reading, there is no future.
Costa Rica’s children do not need speeches.
They need libraries.
