Project Manager Cloe Medina Erickson and Architectural Consultant Todd Smith recently returned from an inspirational and productive visit to the project site in Zawiya Ahansal, Morocco.

Cloe and Todd worked with local Project Manager Youssef Jini to accomplish the following goals:

• Perform a full site and building assessment.
• Document the building in drawings and photographs.
• Finalize building and site ownership paperwork with the Moroccan government.
• Finalize partnership and responsibility agreement with locals.
• Prepare for utility installation and initial stages of construction.

In addition, Cloe traveled to the capital city of Rabat for a meeting at the Moroccan National Library. The library has agreed to gift books to the project including books in Arabic and French and ranging in topic from school textbooks to adult. They have also agreed to help with importation of books from the United States and France, and to mentor the locals on the establishment of the library.

Accomplishments to Date

• Donation of property and building for the restoration & establishment of the library.
• Project approval from locals – private, public and government.
• Local volunteer labor force in place.
• Book drive leaders in Morocco, France and the United States.
• Detailed site and building assessments. Document to be completed June 2008.

Summer/Fall 2008 Next Steps

• Fund raising.
• Utility installation on site.
• Restoration design.