Formal Name: Biblioteca Nacional
Name of Librarian: Edgar Urriola Espino
Address:
Ernesto J. Castillero R., Apdo 2444, Panama
History & Collections
A decree of January 31, 1942, authorized the establishment of
the National Library of Panama. With initial holdings of
10,000 volumes originally at the Colon Library, which had been donated
by the Municipal Council of the Ministry of Education, it was founded
on July 11, 1942. The Colon Library of the Municipality of Panama,
dating from October 12, 1892. was discontinued in 1941 by disposition of
the District Council. The National Library serves as a repository of the
nation's bibliographic production, including all the literature
relating to the history of Panama.
Its newspaper section contains the most complete collection of the dailies
of the country. The collection totals 200,000 volumes.
Sources:
World guide to libraries. New York: Saur, 1998.
World encyclopedia of library and information services. 3rd ed.
Chicago: American Library Association,c1993.