The Octavio Paz Ibero-American Library is part of the University Library System of the University of Guadalajara and was inaugurated on July 19, 1991, during the First Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The library began construction in 1591 as the temple of the Jesuit College of Santo Tomás de Aquino, which was later donated by the Government of Jalisco to the University of Guadalajara in 1991 to operate as a library. It is named after Octavio Paz a Mexican poet and essayist who also won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1990.
The library is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
To enter, you must present a valid, legible government-issued photo ID. This ID will be kept at the entrance until you leave. It may be:
If you are Mexican:
- INE (National Institute of Statistics)
- Driver's License
- Professional ID
- Passport
- Student ID
- INAPAM (National Institute of Statistics)
If you are a foreigner:
- National ID
- Driver's License
- Resident ID
- Student ID
- Passport
Note: Minors must be accompanied by an adult responsible for their care.
The neoclassical building, which has existed for four centuries, was originally the temple of the College of Saint Thomas Aquinas, which served as the headquarters of the Society of Jesus in the region and from which its evangelization efforts in New Spain were coordinated. By offering free education, it gained the support of the residents of the Atemajac Valley. With donations from the town, it remained standing until 1767, when the Jesuit order was expelled from Spanish territories by order of King Charles III of Spain. -Wikipedia
The library has a catalog of approximately 50,000 books, in addition to a collection of 80 titles in Braille.
The library's main topics are social sciences, fine arts, literature from Ibero-American countries, and history and geography of Ibero-American countries. Therefore, we can understand that this library focuses on works of Hispanic origin and prioritizes the Spanish language as its primary source of knowledge.
In this library, you can find extensive documentation on gender studies, politics, economics, education, international trade, customs and folklore, as well as architecture, dance, sculpture, painting, photography, music, poetry, theater, short stories, novels, essays, criticism, and interpretation from countries such as Mexico, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, all of Latin America, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean.
During my visit, I found the building truly impressive, very beautiful. The facilities were impeccable, and in addition to the standard consultations, there was free Wi-Fi and computers for users, which I thought was fantastic.
-Zetty