Conservation in Latin America:
Current Trends in Cultural Context

Part Two: Context

To begin with, cultural attitudes towards reading in general and libraries specifically affect the willingness on the part of federal and local funding sources to participate in the creation and maintenance of libraries and archives. First, the high illiteracy rate in many Latin American countries plays a role in the lack of respect shown to librarians and books by segments of the population. Where education is not stressed, fewer citizens may pursue more advanced studies, and the division between social classes increases, or, as one scholar states, the book becomes a "symbol of the so-called erudition, of high culture, . . . the image of 'this is not for me' sometimes felt in developing countries."³   Most Latin American countries do maintain some sort of governmental bureau, such as a National Archives or Ministry of Culture, that supports a national collection, and other government agencies support university research libraries. However, even at the high levels, there is a "lack of interest in library problems on the part of governments, on the one hand, and of specialists in other disciplines . . . on the other hand."⁴

Yet another cultural challenge is the often unpredictable politics that affect many Latin American countries. Coups d'état, periods of extreme inflation and poverty for the masses, and hopes for industrialization characterize the uncertain atmosphere in which Latin Americans may operate. In addition, suppression of new and potentially politically incriminating information is not unprecedented. An extreme example took place on July 4, 1990 when the director of a large public library in Nicaragua gave orders to burn approximately 50 books by Nicaraguan writers "described as subversive, anti-democratic, and the like." While the director of the National Library of Venezuela condemned the act as restricting the freedom of information and ideas, such incidents can do no good in promoting unbiased research and lauding the cause of libraries.⁵  

Moreover, political instability may wreak havoc on the economic health of a country, and libraries will undoubtedly feel the crunch. Even well-meaning governments may be overwhelmed by economic hard times. Hence, a typical Latin American research library will be hurt, especially if political instability is ongoing or extended. For example, a summary of the state of Argentine university libraries reads:

Libraries, neglected for many years, face at present very serious problems. Collections are outdated and journal subscriptions are difficult to continue. Library buildings, obsolete in many cases, cannot be reconstructed because of the lack of money...⁶  

However, the attempt to stretch budget money has worked towards conservation in one respect. The research library in Latin America often follows the old-school "suspicion of the patron's intentions and the preciousness and irreplaceability of items in the library's collection."⁷   In Nicaragua, as an example, book stacks are not accessible to the research community. Because acquisition budgets are limited, "materials must be conserved" and theft checked by restricting access. This approach to preservation is effective, yet the library may not be able to meet the research needs of its clients or fulfill its mission statement to support scholarly activities.

Please send comments to wbaker@pop.uky.edu.