Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda signed a decree allowing the “5 Libros por Años” state program to provide free books to the communities that need it the most in 2025. Its aim is to promote reading as a tool of change—continuing 2024 efforts—by delivering more than 19,000 books.
The governor stated that on December 12, 2024, the decree that lets the Secretariat of Culture, through the Institute of Cultural Services of Baja California, distribute free books to people who ask for them, especially remote and/or vulnerable communities, came into effect.
“Reading is crucial to strengthening our identity and transforming ourselves as a society. With the 5 Libros por Año program, our aim is for children and adults to read at least 5 books a year. In 2024, we inaugurated 24 new reading rooms, 16.8% more than in 2023. We will continue to give free books to anyone who asks for them,” the governor said.
Moreover, she said that between October 2023 and October 2024, allies such as EDUCAL and Fundación Hélice joined these efforts and made valuable contributions to the cause, augmented by the Secretariat of Culture’s vast archive.
For example, the Letras Peninsulares program took place from October 14 to October 31, 2024: EDUCAL’s Librobús (Book Bus) visited communities in the Baja California peninsula, traveling 2,000 kilometers, with a first-rate literary archive, to areas where there are no public libraries or bookstores.
Governor Marina del Pilar ended her speech by saying that with the opening of 24 new reading rooms, there are now a total of 167 reading rooms in Baja California. This will make access to free reading easier in more communities and enhance efforts to bring culture to all corners in the state.
