The Omar Torrijos Herrera Public Library in Panama’s San Miguelito District has won a major international grant. The library’s community reading project was selected as one of 23 winners from 176 submissions across Ibero-America in the 13th Call for Aid from Iberbibliotecas for 2025. Panama’s Ministry of Culture of Panama announced the competitive award this week.
This victory places Panama among a prestigious group of selected nations including Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. Only 125 projects even advanced to the pre-selection stage from the initial pool. The winning proposal, titled “Building Community Through Reading,” aims to transform the library into a central hub for cultural access and literacy.
Strategic Vision for a Community Hub
Micdonia Quirós, the librarian with the Ministry of Culture who authored the proposal, identified the international call as a unique opportunity. She saw a clear path to modernize a vital community space. Her vision aligned directly with the ministry’s broader goals for the institution.
“My motivation comes from knowing the Ministry of Culture’s vision to turn the San Miguelito library into a model to follow,” Quirós said. [Translated from Spanish] She understood that achieving this objective required more than just physical upgrades. It demanded actionable plans to strengthen reading as a core tool for community integration.
The project specifically seeks to strengthen the library’s management and dramatically expand community access to reading materials and cultural programs. It targets the densely populated San Miguelito District, an area where such public resources can have a profound impact. Quirós acknowledged the common challenge of limited funding for public libraries, making external support crucial.
“Aware of the limited resources libraries usually have, Iberbibliotecas became the strategic ally to make this transformation a reality,” she added. [Translated from Spanish]
Operational Phase and Measurable Impact
With the grant now secured, the Ministry of Culture confirmed the immediate launch of the project’s operational phase. Work will begin on several key fronts designed to create lasting change. The plans include implementing critical administrative and operational improvements within the library itself.
Officials also outlined a series of new activities to promote reading across all age groups. A core component of the initiative involves establishing clear mechanisms to measure the project’s social impact. The library will track how its services influence the community, providing data to guide future cultural policy. This focus on metrics is a modern approach to public library management.
The library’s namesake, omar torrijos herrera, was a pivotal figure in Panama’s history. His legacy, and that of his son omar torrijos, is often associated with national sovereignty and development. This project channels a similar spirit of progress into the cultural and educational sphere for a local community.
This international recognition validates a concerted effort to reimagine public libraries. It positions the Omar Torrijos Herrera Library as a potential benchmark for similar institutions across Panama and the region. The coming months will see the theoretical plans of the grant proposal translated into tangible community action.