National Library of Mexico
Entrance of Biblioteca Nacional de México
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| Country | Mexico |
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| Type | National library |
| Established | 1867 |
| Location | Ciudad Universitaria, the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City |
| Other information | |
| Director | Guadalupe Curiel Defossé |
| Website | Official website |
The National Library of Mexico (Spanish: Biblioteca Nacional de México) is located in Ciudad Universitaria, the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City. It was first established on October 26, 1833.
As a national library it is the preeminent bibliographic repository of Mexico and is subject to legal deposit. It also attempts to acquire all foreign books published about Mexico. Its collection of 1,250,000 documents, including books, maps and recordings makes it one of the largest libraries in Mexico and Latin America.
Newspapers and other periodicals are archived in the National Newspaper Library of Mexico (Hemeroteca Nacional de México) located also in Ciudad Universitaria, next to the facilities of the National Library.
The collections of the Pontifical and Royal University of Mexico (predecessor of modern UNAM) formed the initial endowment of the National Library after the University's dissolution. The decree establishing the National Library came into force on October 26, 1833. Further decrees in 1846 and 1857 attempted to clarify the scope and functions of the Library.
Benito Juárez issued a decree on November 30, 1867, in which the National Library acquired most of its modern prerogatives, including legal deposit. Also, this same decree relocated the Library to the Church of Saint Augustine in downtown Mexico City.
In 1914 the National Library was linked to the National Autonomous University of Mexico. When the University achieved autonomy in 1929 the Library formed a constituent part of it. The Institute of Bibliographic Investigation was established by the University in 1967 in order to facilitate the administration of the National Library.
The National Library moved to its current location in the UNAM campus in 1979. However the Reserves Collection (see below) stayed in a special room at St. Agustine's Church. The building was damaged during the 1985 earthquake and as a consequence it was decided to build a new annex to the current National Library building. The new annex was inaugurated in 1993.
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