National Library of Chile facts for kids

Quick facts for kids National Library of Chile
Front view of the National Library of Chile building
Established	1813
Location	Santiago
Coordinates	33°26′32″S 70°38′45″W / 33.4421°S 70.6457°W / -33.4421; -70.6457
Branches	N/A
Collection
Size	1,100,000 registries
Access and use
Population served	66,167,182 members of the public
Other information
Director	Pedro Pablo Zegers Blachet
Website	[1]

The National Library of Chile (called Biblioteca Nacional de Chile in Spanish) is the main library for the country of Chile. It's like a giant treasure chest of books, old papers, and important documents for the whole nation! You can find it in Santiago, Chile's capital city.

The library is located on a big street called Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins. The building you see today was finished in 1925. However, the library's story began much earlier, in the early 1800s.

History of the National Library

The Aurora de Chile, Chile's first newspaper, is kept at the Biblioteca Nacional.

The National Library is one of the very first important places created by the new country of Chile. This happened during a time called the Patria Vieja (meaning "Old Homeland"). This was when Chile was fighting to become independent.

On August 19, 1813, a special announcement was printed in a newspaper. It asked everyone to donate their books to help start a big public library.

However, the library had to close for a short time. This was after a sad event called the Disaster of Rancagua. In this battle, Chile's troops were defeated by the Spanish royalist army. These were people who wanted Chile to stay under Spanish rule.

After Chile won the Battle of Chacabuco, the library reopened. The government supported it, and it started getting many important book collections. Bernardo O'Higgins, who was Chile's leader at the time, chose Manuel de Salas to be the first director. Later, in 1822, Friar Camilo Henríquez became the second head librarian. He was also in charge of Chile's first newspaper, the Aurora de Chile.

For many years, the library was part of the Universidad de Chile. But in 1852, it became independent. In 1913, when the library turned 100 years old, it bought a special old building. This building was once a monastery. In 1929, the library became part of a bigger group that looks after libraries, archives, and museums.

Where is the Library Located?

The Chilean Hallroom (Sección Chilena) inside the National Library of Chile.

Since 1925, the National Library has been right in the middle of Santiago, Chile. Before that, it was in a different spot. That old spot is now where the Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Municipal Theater) stands.

Building the current library started in 1913. It was one of the big projects to celebrate 100 years of Chile's independence. The building looks very grand with its columns and arches. It has a strong French Neoclassical style.

The library shares its building with the Archivo Nacional de Chile. This is where Chile's important historical documents are kept. Right next to the building is the Santa Lucía metro station. To the east, you can find the famous Cerro Santa Lucía hill.

Inside, the library has two main floors and a basement. It's decorated with beautiful marble stairs, sculptures, and paintings. These artworks are by famous Chilean artists like Alfredo Helsby and Arturo Gordon.

Details of the doors in the Computers Hall at the National Library of Chile.

What Collections Does the Library Have?

The National Library has a huge and very valuable collection of books and old papers. Many of these were bought or given as gifts by their original owners. This makes them a very important part of Chile's history.

Here are some of the important collections the library has:

See also

In Spanish: Biblioteca Nacional de Chile para niños

• List of national libraries
• Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts
• Asociación de Estados Iberoamericanos para el Desarrollo de las Bibliotecas Nacionales de Iberoamérica
• Biblioteca de Santiago