The Fondo de Cultura Económica (FCE) decided to close its branch in San Diego, California, a warehouse dedicated to the distribution of books. In light of concerns raised by users on social media about the fate of the stored volumes, the FCE has clarified that the 90,400 copies will not be discarded, but donated to various institutions and communities in the United States and Mexico. Among the beneficiaries are the San Diego County Library, the American Academy of Pediatrics – Reach Out and Read, as well as schools in Tijuana that promote bilingualism. Additionally, these books will be freely available to the public for two days in the parking lot of the San Diego County Operations Center.
Ezra Alcázar, director of international liaison at the FCE, stated that the San Diego branch functioned as a warehouse in an industrial park and that its closure is due to disproportionate costs with no significant benefits in promoting reading. The decision is part of a strategy to reorganize the FCE's operations in the United States and to bet on more effective projects, such as the potential opening of a new cultural space. The measure seeks not only to effectively distribute Mexican literature, but also to strengthen the cultural and literary ties in cross-border Spanish-speaking communities.
Read the full news article on The Country.
