Biblioteca Los Mangos

What Biblioteca Los Mangos does

Biblioteca Los Mangos – Centro Cultural is a community cultural center and public library in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, operated by the civil association Pro Biblioteca de Vallarta, A.C. (founded 1993; library opened November 30, 1996). It serves residents and visitors of the Puerto Vallarta metropolitan area and Bahía de Banderas region, offering free traditional library services — book lending, in-house reading, internet access, computer use, and catalog consultation against a bilingual collection of nearly 30,000 books in Spanish and English — plus specialized services for the visually impaired and audio/video libraries. The institution describes itself as the only library of its kind in the Bahía de Banderas region and serves approximately 4,500 service users per month, issuing roughly 800 monthly book loans and 100 new library cards.

Its product surface extends well beyond a traditional library to include the Apapacho early literacy program for children aged 24-36 months (built on a "Three C's" methodology created by Dr. Candace Kaye), La Hora del Cuento weekly story time, multiple Reading Clubs for children, youth, and adults, the Cineclub El Muégano film club (Mon/Wed/Fri at 7pm), Cambalache book exchange events, a broad courses-and-workshops catalog (piano, guitar/ukulele, theater, ballet, yoga, sign language, oil painting, Spanish, etc.), Editorial Los Mangos publishing arm, and Los Mangos Radio cultural podcast distributed via SoundCloud. Facility space is also rented out for cultural and private events across multiple halls (capacities from 28 to 1,000 people).

The business model is a non-profit donation-and-grant model rather than a commercial revenue model. All core services are free; funding comes from individual donations (including recurring monthly "Amigo Honorario" credit/debit contributions), corporate sponsorship (a permanent sponsor roster including Vallarta Gastronómica, Secrets/Dreams Vallarta Bay, Hotel Rosita, PrintPV, V101, and two local galleries), the annual Subasta Anual art auction (over 430,000 pesos raised in 2022 from 90 artworks), workshop/course fees treated as donations, facility rentals, and volunteer labor. There is no equity, no parent company, and no public shareholders; governance is through a Consejo Directivo (President, Director General, Treasurer, Vocal) plus coordinators for workshops, events, and the library section.

Name

Biblioteca Los Mangos

Legal name

Pro Biblioteca de Vallarta, A.C.

Website

https://bibliotecalosmangos.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Biblioteca Los Mangos is a free community cultural center and public library in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, serving ~4,500 monthly users with a 30,000-book bilingual collection, children's literacy programs, workshops, a film club, a podcast, and event space rentals, funded by donations and the annual art auction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Library Operations & Community Branch Management (EDAEAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Community cultural programs
• Reading promotion
• Cultural workshops
• Library space rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Puerto Vallarta

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a civil association (asociación civil), Biblioteca Los Mangos operates entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and community members. Course and workshop fees are considered donations. The library offers free services including book loans, internet access, and computer use.
2. Annual Art Auction (Subasta Anual): Annual fundraising event where art is auctioned. In 2022, the auction raised over 430,000 pesos from 90 artworks. Artists donate works, and the community purchases them with proceeds supporting library operations.
3. Honorary Friend Monthly Program: Monthly recurring donations through the 'Amigo Honorario' program where donors choose a monthly amount and have it charged to their credit or debit card.
4. Space Rental: The library rents out its facilities (rooms and spaces) for cultural events and private events that align with its mission, providing rental income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Biblioteca Los Mangos is a community cultural center and public library that provides free book lending, in-house reading, free internet access, computer use, and catalog consultation, complemented by cultural programming such as reading clubs, story time, film screenings, courses, workshops, an early literacy program, a podcast, and an annual fundraising art auction. It serves the Puerto Vallarta community and surrounding metropolitan area in Jalisco, Mexico, and operates as a non-profit civil association funded by donations, sponsorships, and community contributions.

Product overview

Biblioteca Los Mangos is a community cultural center and public library established in 1996, offering a comprehensive portfolio of free and paid services to the Puerto Vallarta community. The core offering centers on traditional library services (catalog access, book lending, computer/internet use) complemented by cultural programming including La Hora del Cuento story time, Reading Clubs for all ages, and the Cineclub El Muégano film club. The institution provides diverse courses and workshops (arts, music, fitness, languages) and innovative programs like the Apapacho early literacy initiative. Additional services include Los Mangos Radio podcast content, annual art auctions, book exchanges (Cambalache), space rentals for events, and reading promotion activities. The library maintains partnerships with PayPal for donations, SoundCloud for podcast distribution, and Google Calendar for event management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cineclub El Muégano: Film club screening classic and auteur cinema, open to the community, with screenings on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:00pm.
• Los Mangos Radio
• Editorial Los Mangos
• Programa Apapacho
• La Hora del Cuento

Products and services

• Biblioteca Los Mangos Core Library Services Traditional library services including book lending, in-house reading, free internet access, computer use, and catalog consultation for the Puerto Vallarta community. All core services are free of charge.
• Catalog Consultation System (Acervo)

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vallarta GastronómicacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Major restaurant and gastronomy event organization supporting the library through donations and participation in the annual auction. Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica donated food for the 2022 auction event.
• V101 (Vallarta 101)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Local radio station listed as a permanent sponsor supporting the library's cultural mission.
• PrintPVminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Local printing company providing printing services as a permanent sponsor.
• Secrets Vallarta BayminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Resort hotel listed as a permanent sponsor supporting the library.
• Dreams Vallarta BayminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Resort hotel listed as a permanent sponsor supporting the library.
• Hotel RositaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Historic hotel in Puerto Vallarta, permanent sponsor and venue for sculpture tours. Gary Thompson (owner) is an Honorary Friend of the library.
• Galería PacíficocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Gallery owned by Gary Thompson, an Honorary Friend who has led free sculpture tours of Puerto Vallarta's Malecón for over a decade. Partner venue for library events.
• Galería ColectikaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Local art gallery listed as a permanent sponsor.
• Dr. Candace KayecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Faculty member at New Mexico State University, expert in early education, who initiated and created the Apapacho early literacy program as a volunteer at Biblioteca Los Mangos.
• Gary ThompsoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Gary Thompson, Honorary Friend of Biblioteca Los Mangos and owner of Galería Pacífico, has led free sculpture tours of Puerto Vallarta's Malecón for over a decade. Tours start at Galería Pacífico on Thursdays.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chicago Public Library Foundation: Nonprofit fundraising arm for the Chicago Public Library. Comparable as a donation- and sponsorship-driven organization that supports library programming and cultural activities for a major metropolitan area.
• Biblioteca Pública Piloto de Medellín: Community library in Medellín, Colombia, internationally recognized for its transformation into a cultural and educational hub with reading promotion, cultural programming, and community events — directly comparable in mission and operating model.
• Library Foundation of Los Angeles: Nonprofit foundation supporting the Los Angeles Public Library through fundraising, sponsorships, and program partnerships. Highly comparable in nonprofit business model and reliance on donations, sponsorships, and community events.
• Sistema de Bibliotecas Públicas de Medellín: Network of public libraries operated by the Medellín municipality with a strong cultural programming and reading promotion mandate. Comparable as a regional library system pursuing community cultural development similar to Biblioteca Los Mangos.

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Public Library: Major US public library system offering book lending, cultural events, workshops, and educational programming. Comparable as a community library with diversified cultural programming funded through public and private sources.
• New York Public Library: One of the world's largest public library systems with extensive cultural programming, reading clubs, workshops, and donor-funded operations. Comparable in mission and program breadth, though at vastly larger scale and budget.
• San Francisco Public Library: Major US public library system with strong programming in literacy, arts, and community engagement. Comparable in mission and cultural programming breadth, though operating at much larger scale.
• Biblioteca Vasconcelos: Mexico's flagship public library in Mexico City, offering similar catalog lending, reading programs, and cultural programming. Comparable as a public library serving the Spanish-speaking population, though at vastly greater scale than Biblioteca Los Mangos.

Regional players

• Casa de las Américas: Cuban cultural institution promoting Latin American literature, arts, and reading. Comparable as a Spanish-language cultural center combining library/reading promotion with cultural programming for community engagement.

Emerging players

• Centro Cultural de España en México: Cultural center in Mexico City offering workshops, film screenings, literary events, and community programming. Comparable as a nonprofit cultural center delivering free educational and cultural programming to a Spanish-speaking community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biblioteca-los-mangos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biblioteca Los Mangos