Bookstores in Fernando de la Mora: supplies, books, copies

To choose a stationery shop or bookstore (librería) in Fernando de la Mora, first decide whether you need school supplies, a specific book or printing and copies, because not every shop does all three. Then look for one on your side of Avenida Mariscal Estigarribia and send the list, title or file ahead on WhatsApp: you skip the queue and find out whether they have everything.

What kind of librería do you need?

In Paraguay, "librería" mostly means a stationery and school-supply shop, and many do not sell books at all. Know what you are after:

• Stationery shop: notebooks, folders, pencils, school-list items, office supplies.
• Shop with textbooks: school manuals and the reading books schools ask for.
• Bookstore: novels, non-fiction, children's books, university titles.
• Copy and print shop: photocopies, color printing, spiral binding, laminating.

Many shops combine two or three of these, but if you need something specific, such as a book from a particular publisher or a large-format print, ask first.

How to buy the school list without losing a morning

The busy season is the run-up to the start of classes. For reference, in 2026 classes began on 23 February⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠, and many private schools started earlier. Shops fill up in those weeks, so:

• Send the list on WhatsApp and ask for a quote. Many shops will pack it and tell you when to collect.
• Buy what sells out first: textbooks in a specific edition and branded or specific-color items the school asks for.
• If your child attends a public school, see what comes in the Ministry of Education's school kit before buying everything. Parents say the kit does not always cover everything⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠, but it can save part of the list.
• Compare the total, not single items. A small difference per notebook adds up over twenty.

Which part of Fernando de la Mora should you look in?

The city is split by Avenida Mariscal Estigarribia into a North Zone and a South Zone⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠, with the center mostly on the north side. Crossing the avenue at rush hour can take longer than the shopping, so start on the side where you live or work.

• Centro and Avenida Mariscal Estigarribia: easiest if you come by bus, since many lines run along it.
• Along Route PY01 (formerly Acceso Sur) or Avenida Eusebio Ayala: handy by car if you want easy parking.
• The city's shopping galleries and malls: useful for doing the school list and other errands in one trip.
• Neighborhoods such as Villa Ofelia, Laguna Grande, Santa Teresa, San Juan or Domingo Savio: for quick copies and last-minute supplies, the local shop is usually easiest.

Fernando de la Mora borders Asunción, San Lorenzo, Luque, Ñemby and Villa Elisa, so if you live near the edge, look across the line too.

Copies and printing: what to bring and ask

To get it right the first time:

• Bring the file as a PDF on a USB stick or a cloud link. Sending it by WhatsApp works, but it can reduce the quality of images and drawings.
• Ask the price per page in black and white and in color, and whether there is a bulk rate.
• Confirm the turnaround: a few copies are done on the spot, but a big job, binding or laminating may be ready later.
• Check a test page before printing everything, especially for a deadline or official paperwork.

During exam and deadline weeks, copy shops near schools and institutes get busy; send the file early and pick it up later.

What if the book you want is not in stock?

• Bring the exact title, author and publisher, or better the ISBN, found on the back cover or the school list.
• Ask whether they take orders and how long delivery takes.
• For school reading books, ask other parents whether someone has a used copy in good condition; many are reused from year to year if the edition has not changed.
• For university or imported titles, it may be worth checking bookstores in Asunción too.

Before you head out, confirm opening hours: many shops change them during back-to-school season and on public holidays.