Today Gaby escorted us to a public library in the center of Cochabamba, La Biblioteca Municipal Jesus Lara. As was the case with la Biblioteca Th'uruchapitas, there was no sign outside the building to publicize the library. It was on a busy city street, within the Cultural Affairs office building. At the public library we were given a tour by Luis Rubin de Selis, director of the library. The library itself has a large and airy reading room, with many tables and a card catalog lining up against one wall. All the books are housed in closed stacks, retrieved by library staff on request.
Sr. de Selis showed us the collection of books about Boliva, written by Bolivian and foreign authors. The books were obviously well-used. The vast majority were at least sixty years old or older. Sr. de Selis told us that unfortunately there was no money for new books and that the pollution of the city had taken a toll on those books they did own. One interesting fact- the only new books they had received in the past few years were gifts from the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez. One of his donations was a handsome set of the hundred best works from Latin America.
It was estimated that on a daily basis, 100 books are requested and that over 600 patrons visit the library. The vast majority of patrons are high-school students and some university students. There are nine public libraries in Cochabamba and only one offers anything for children. This is the library in Sacaba, a suburb of Cochabamba, and they offer only textbooks-- no children's literature or picture books.
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