|
Chile libraries are mainly concentrated in the capital city of Santiago. The three most notable libraries in Chile are the National Library, the Central Library of the University of Chile and the Library of Congress. The Severin Library in Valpraiso and the library of the University at Concepcion are the most popular libraries housing vast collection of books.
The National Library of Chile is also known as the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. The construction of the building was completed in 1925. The National Library of Chile was one of the first institutions of the newly formed republic of Chile. The large collection of books in the library was contributed by the citizens of Chile Republic. Professor Manual de Salas was the first Director of the National Library. The National Library of Chile gained autonomy from the University of Chile in 1852. The Chile library has a valuable collection of books and manuscripts. These old books and manuscripts were donated to the library by their respective owners. The valuable collection includes works of Mariano Egana, Andres Bello, Anibal Pinto and numerous other writers.
The Central Library at the University of Concepcion has ample collections for reference in multidisciplinary subjects and also special collections. The Library of Legal and Social Sciences is located in the second floor of the building. The first floor has a huge collection of magazines along with the official newspapers. The Library of Humanities and Arts have more than 47,000 books and 313 titles of periodic publications. Each faculty in the university has a separate section in the library building of the university.
The Library of Congress in Chile provides services from two major locations: Santiago, where the Congress sat before and Valparaiso, the port city, where the Congress has been relocated. This traditional library has undergone a makeover. The modern Library of Congress can be described as unison of several libraries by single mission and common objectives. The electronic library has extensive collections of full text databases, CD-ROMS, and the internet. The virtual library includes specialized services and value added products especially for the legislative process of the country. The library has played an important role in the parliamentarian process of the country with increased service and assistance requirements and also organizing orientation workshops for the newly elected parliamentarians and their staff.
Libraries in Chile are the national treasure of the country. They are huge repositories with extensive collection of books and periodicals on various subjects.
|
