Spring is calling… Are you ready? ✨

THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY MARCH 17 IN OBSERVANCE OF BENITO JUÁREZ’S BIRTHDAY ( NATIONAL HOLIDAY)

Join us under the stars on the MEL patio Tuesday March 4 for a night of sing–a–long as Boone Rock, Jim Flanigan, Ellen Carol, Vince Ruttan, and John Swainson – fresh from a triumphant performance at the Mérida Chili CookOff – present “HOoOoOoT”!

HOoOoOoT is a step back in time to Greenwich Village in the 60s when clubs like Gerdes Folk City and The Bitter End featured performers, both famous and unknown, strumming acoustic guitars and encouraging the audience to sing along.   You’ll remember the songs but maybe not the lyrics, so the band will supply a QR Code that will allow you to see the set list and lyrics on your phone.  Join us for a spirited and memorable night! It’ll be a HOoOoOot!!!

Songs may include Somewhere Over the Rainbow • Mr. Bojangles • Leaving On A Jet Plane • In My Life • Your Song • King of the Road • Those Were the Days • Will the Circle Be Unbroken • Fire and Rain and more. 

The doors open at 6:30 PM, and the concert begins at 7:00 PM. You can buy your tickets in advance ($150 each) online in the MEL Shop. This concert sold out last year, so don’t delay!  

Food & drinks will be available for purchase.  This is a benefit for the Mérida English Library.

The Mérida English Library is fortunate to have many talented writers in our midst, and we gather many of them together for our Local Author Book Fair on Monday, March 10 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM.  The Local Author Book Fair allows you the opportunity to be exposed to interesting and unique books of all types,while supporting your friends and neighbors.  In addition to offering their books for sale, each author will read a selection from their work.  Come spend a fascinating morning with us!

Scheduled to appear: Assata Akil • Severine DesRosiers • Dave Dodge • Jonathan Harrington • Paul Kendel • Margaret Mandell • Barbara McKinnon-Haskins • Pedro Peón Roche • Francisco Sanchez Roman • Nina Sauri • Stephanie Wandke • Amy Wright • and more!

MEL’s final Wine Tasting of the season is coming up, on Thursday, March 20 from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.  This tasting will be held at a home that exudes grace and generates delight.  It was a very popular venue when featured several years ago, and we’re certain it will also resonate with you! Please join us in celebration!

Tickets go on sale to MEL members only at 9:00 AM on Thursday, March 6 online in the MEL Shop.  This members-only presale period is an online-only sale, and ticket purchases are limited to two per library Individual or Family membership number.  Please look here for details.

Any remaining tickets will go on sale without limit on Monday March 10 at 9:00 AM, either online or in person at MEL.  Tickets are $700 for MEL members and $800 for non-members.  The location of the event will be revealed to you after you make your ticket purchase.

 We look forward to seeing you all!

This 20th–anniversary season of the MEL House & Garden Tour is entering its final month, but we have a great set of tours lined up for your enjoyment.  We’ll have a series of special off–site tours this month:

Wednesday March 5: Meet us at Parque de San Sebastián (Calle 75 x 70 x 72) by 9:30 AM for a tour of this historic neighborhood.  

Wednesday March 12: Meet us at Parque de Santa Lucía (Calle 60 x 55) by 9:30 AM for another great morning tour.

For the final two weeks of the month, we’ll continue our regular morning tours on Wednesday, meeting as usual at MEL.  The library doors open at 9:00 AM and the program starts at 9:30.

These are walking tours, showcasing a wide variety of homes and gardens in Mérida’s Centro Histórico. The House & Garden Tour is a “must do” for visitors and residents alike! It’s informative and fun!

The cost is $400 for MEL members and $500 for non-members. Visit our website for more information, include important information, and reserve your spots online in the MEL Shop. Remember, tours often sell out so reserve your spot today!

You can hear it from the birds, you can feel it in the air, the spring season is finally here!

The Mérida English Library is happy to announce the upcoming MEL Spring Bazaar! This event is where local artisans, artists, and producers gather to show their impressive work to the community. Be ready to be amazed and buy from the creators themselves. All the products available at the MEL Bazaar are handmade; we are sure you’ll find great gifts to bring to your loved ones!

Join us on Sunday, March 23, from 10 am to 2 pm at the patio of the Mérida English Library on Calle 53 #524 x 66 y 68 Centro.

The Mérida English Library just turned 29 years old this year. Here at MEL, we are happy to celebrate this anniversary with our community of readers, volunteers, and collaborators. The MEL Interview is dedicated to acknowledging the work of former volunteers and personalities who have been part of the making of our library. There are many different and interesting stories told at the library, and we would like to share this one.

Wrapping up approximately 17 years of volunteering, Evonne von Boeck shared with the MEL team her journey in Mérida, from the moment she moved to Yucatán, her participation in various MEL programs and events, and the improvements the library has made because of her hard work.

Read the whole interview here

MEL’s popular language-exchange program is an activity for English and Spanish practice that takes place Monday from 7:00 to 9:00  PM on the patio.  (NOTE: There will be no program on March 17.)  No matter the level, join us for practicing conversation, meet new people, and make more friends!

This program does not provide classes or lessons. Our goal is to socialize as you practice and improve language skills.  It is designed for adults 18 +, and is open to the public but with limited seating for 60 participants.  You can register only at the door; advance registration is not accepted.

This is a free activity for MEL members, and non-members are asked to make a donation of $20.  Please send us an email (info@meridaenglishlibrary.com) for more information.

Come stroll around Santa Ana, Mérida’s historic arts district, with us!  Tours conclude this season on March 13 and March 27.  We meet at the fountain in the Parque de Santa Ana (Calle 47 x 60) at 10:00 AM for a short talk, then visit several galleries and workshops in the barrio.  Tickets are $200 for MEL members and $300 for non-members and can be purchased online in the MEL Shop or at the library. 

All writers living in Mérida's vicinity, regardless of level of experience, are welcome to attend the Writers Group meetings in the classroom at MEL, alternate Wednesdays, including March 12 and March 26, at 11:00 AM.   Come join other enthusiasts for an exchange of ideas.

The Fiction & Friends book club will gather on March 27 to discuss Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo — a mesmerizing and haunting tale that will captivate readers who revel in the mysterious and the surreal, and are drawn to explorations of the complexities of family, death, and the blurred lines between reality and the unknown.

Fiction & Friends meets on the last Thursday of each month starting at 10:00 AM.  Please visit our website for more information or to join the club,

Our free lecture series has just one more edition this season. Marisol Achirica will present Embracing the Emotional Journey of Moving Abroad: A Talk for Expats in Mérida on Wednesday March 5 at 7:00 PM. Living in a new country? Do you have kids growing up between worlds? Join us for a deep and insightful conversation designed to help you navigate the psychological and emotional processes of moving abroad, especially as it intersects with the second half of life. Whether you've come here for a fresh start, a slower pace, or new opportunities, relocation isn't just about logistics — it also brings profound shifts in identity, relationships, and worldview

MEL Talks are free and open to the public.  You can watch past lectures on the library’s YouTube channel.  

Robert Ash is with Lakeside Medical Group (LMG), a managed health care program that offers expats free or low-cost emergency and urgent care treatment at their in-network medical facilities throughout Mexico, including Star Médica. They work primarily with Medicare Advantage plans and other expat insurance plans including Canadian trip health insurance plans. While this session is intended to be informational in nature, be aware the LMG is a provider of managed care and Robert will be discussing coverage through their program. This is a presentation intended mostly for retirees and virtual nomads about how they can use their existing health insurance through Lakeside Medical Group´s program to enjoy emergency and urgent care coverage at Star Médica.

This presentation, like their service, is free, and will be held on Wednesday March 12 at 9:30 AM in MEL’s air-conditioned classroom.

Calling All Lovers of Mother Earth!  Are you ready to do something decisive about climate change? 

The intention of the newly formed Climate Solutions Study Group at MEL is to inspire a growing community of people to actively engage in learning about and supporting climate solutions locally and globally.  We want to do that in smart ways. We want to learn about and address the most crucial issues, like reducing our use of fossil fuels to help the Earth’s atmosphere thrive. We want to advocate for sustainable energies like solar, wind, and water power. We want ally with local environmental leaders in ways that support the best solutions. We want to contribute meaningfully as guests, residents, and citizens of this beautiful Yucatán. And we want to do this with fun, curiosity, hope, cooperation, and civility.

Join us on March 21 at 11 AM at MEL to contribute your goodwill, skills, and energy to care for our precious collective home: Mother Earth. Please visit our website for more information.

The patio of the Mérida English Library becomes a place where music, stories, arts & crafts projects, and friends meet to create a fabulous energy the whole family can enjoy!  MEL StoryTime is a free program open to the general public, and is intended to encourage the habit of reading in children and their families, and to motivate imagination, creativity, vocabulary and English language skills.

Storytime will be held on March 8 and March 22 starting at 10:00 AM.  Space is limited and registration is required.  Click here to register for either or both.

The StoryTime Committee is constantly organizing new activities to provide a great experience every time you visit.  The books and activities are different for each StoryTime, and focus on a theme such as well-being, health, history, nature, science, etc.  Upcoming StoryTime programs will be posted a week in advance on social media. Check out past activities on Facebook and Instagram.

The Gorro group has not only “harvested” 19 hats, 6 purses, 5 IZZY dolls, four bunnies, and a dinosaur - but thanks to Lulu’s donation of an exquisitely detailed crocheted doll, Andrea OhUiguinn’s vision to auction it, in addition to her amazing sales ability, she collected $6100 pesos for our kids with cancer.  This money funds the purchase of medicines specifically requested by the doctor, like a gel to soothe and heal the mouth sores that often occur during chemotherapy, and liquid medications like prednisone and antibitics, to send home with the children too young to swallow pills. These are not provided by IMSS, and also often not available in pueblos throughout southeastern Mexico and Belize. 

The Mérida English Library is happy to host MEL Bingo Night on Saturday March 29 from 7 PM to 9 PM.  This will be a fun night of bingo the traditional way, with half of each game’s proceeds going to the winner and the rest to MEL.  Or, take this chance to just relax on our patio and socialize with other friends of the library.  A variety of beverages will be for sale, and we invite you to bring snacks to share.

Embark on a journey of balance and harmony with tai chi classes!  Tai chi improves your coordination, alignment, breathing, coordination, concentration, and memory. Join Mónica González Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 – 10:30 AM on March 11, 13, 18 & 20.  Classes are $100 per session or you can purchase four at the reduced price of $250.

We have wrapped up a successful first month of Classical Pilates Mat classes at Merida English Library. 

Classical Pilates Mat will continue in March on Fridays at 11 a.m. You should also expect to improve breathing capacity and organ function while stimulating circulation through muscular flexibility, joint range of motion, and proper musculoskeletal alignment. It is important to me that my students improve themselves not only physically but also socially within the group class setting.  

Most of you have not met Richie yet.  He is a Classically Trained, 4th Generation Pilates Teacher.  He is skilled in working with a variety of populations: clients recovering from severe injury, novice and advanced students, and athletes.  You should expect an accessible group class focused on Classical Pilates Exercises that will challenge you and help you regain mobility, length, flexibility, and strength.  All student levels should feel comfortable attending.  Richie can quickly provide modifications to simplify or challenge each student.  

For class, students should only bring a mat.  A Pilates specific mat is preferred but not required.  The first Friday of March, Richie will host a special class for his birthday!  He will have a special surprise for the students on this day to help me celebrate!  

Join Richie at MEL on Fridays 11:00 am – 12:00 in our air-conditioned classroom.  Register online in the MEL Shop for a single session for $200 or take advantage of a special $700 monthly fee.

Yoga4Snowbirds© are specially–designed sessions that will help you unlock the key to feeling joyful, healthy and energetic– without risky or pretzel-like postures. Each class is different and offers a full-body, safe, mindful, breath-oriented sequence that includes powerfully grounding and strengthening, meditation in motion, breathwork and other complementary somatic explorations.

You can register on Alma’s website for four classes for $1,000 using your credit card (credit card usage fees might apply), or you can buy single-class passes for $300. If you prefer to pay cash at MEL, or by direct deposit, please send a message to Alma (ycamerida@gmail.com) to verify space availability.

Teacher Alfonso López offers three levels of Spanish classes on Wednesdays and Fridays in the MEL air-conditioned classroom. Jump in the ongoing lessons and start learning Spanish now. 

Take a free trial class and then register for the level of your choice:

4:00 pm Level 1 Básico

5:00 pm Level 2 Básico Intermedio

6:00 pm Level 3 Intermedio 

Register for a month for $800 pesos or for two months with a special discount

The Library Collections Committee (LCC) is always in need of volunteers to bring books to MEL from the US.  If you are planning a visit north, and have room in your return luggage for anywhere between two and 200 books, please send an email to Marianne Kehoe.  We appreciate your support in the valuable service.

Ahana García - Rebecca Bell - Molly Lusk - Missil Schuller - James Henry - Paul and David Massey - Laura Ramírez - Lara Sunder - Tim Culhan - Familia García - Tim and Marsha Weaver - Susan Steele - Alvah Hanrahan - Eric McCormack - Sergio Paredes - Margaret Syrian - Belle McDonnell - George McClellan - Janelle Masden - Darlene Gold - Pam Bosack - Sandra Sunderlage - Wendy Diag - Betsy Alger - Emmy Arnold - Kristin Haislatte - Heather Rath - Shernie Wilson - Margie Alexy - Fernanda Soto - Tim Kolar - Sharon Pipon - Susannah Prince - Sheri McLeod - Jae Om - Francisco Vales - Leanne Kay - Letecia Allen.

Download it here

Educate’s fundraising concert is back! We are a non-profit association dedicated to creating conditions that improve the academic achievement of children and young people whose families have very limited income and live in disadvantaged conditions.  Help our organization by buying tickets!. Ticket sale: www.educateyucatan.org/eventos

Takto Design: 35, 526 E, por Av. Reforma / 999 9200847   Educate Office: 21 por 20 y 22, Cholul, Mérida 

 Reservations: 999 2601922 / 999 3709971        Tickets available at the door the day of the event.