| Luis Angel Arango Library | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1923 |
| Location | Bogota |
| Branches | n/a |
| Collection | |
| Size | 1.1 million items |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | library does not publicly circulate |
| Other information | |
| Director | Margarita Garrido Otoya |
| Staff | 500 approx. |
| Website | http://www.lablaa.org |
Luis Ángel Arango Library, is a public library located in Bogotá, Colombia. It was founded in 1923 as a small library with a few books on economics. It is currently under the administration of the Bank of the Republic. Today, its collection has grown to the point where it has become the country's premier library and it has come to be considered to be the most important public library in Latin America. It has over 1.1 million books and 1900 reading places; it received 6.7 million visitors in 2008. Books and documents on the following subjects can be found: music, geography, social sciences, economics, arts and humanities, the constitution, rare books and manuscripts, science and technology, and Luis López de Mesa newspaper archives. They also provide audio-visual material. In addition, there is a Concert Hall, reprography service, a cafeteria and parking facilities. The Botero Museum is part of the library. The main entrance features an Athena or Minerva statue.
There is also a bookstore in the first floor of the library. The bookstore specializes in books about Colombia, scientific magazines, and literature related to Colombia and its values.
The library is named after the lawyer and business man Dr. Luis Angel Arango, who occupied the general manager position of the "Banco de la Republica" in Colombia, and who was an advocate for culture and literature.