Digital library for the Maya is poised to grow

The Public Libraries Coordination in the State of Yucutan has created a digital library for text, audio and visual material related to the Mayan culture. The prototype library already has 92 resources, and is quickly generating many more.

After a workshop on producing Mayan animation videos, animators have produced 19 videos which will be available in the digital library. The project has also received a video and several photographs from the National Commission for Developing the Indigenous People; a Maya radio novel and music DVDs from the organisation INDEMAYA, which holds annual Maya song contests; 13 digitised books in Maya from the Cultural Institute of Yucatan, and photographs from many individuals.

One of the main difficulties in setting up the library is finding translators who can work with the language and the technology, to create digital records. To solve this problem, the library has developed an eight-month diploma for technical translators, and is now training six people who will graduate in 2011.

The technical translators will be able to work with Maya speakers and cultural promoters to incorporate many new resources.

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