International Marketing Portugal Comment On Lisbon Libraries Receiving Cash Boost

International Marketing Portugal were recently pleased to hear that Lisbon Town Hall is investing €4 million to refurbish the Palácio Galveias library, move the Alvalade and Hemeroteca libraries and build a new library in Marvila by the end of 2013. This work is part of the Libraries XXI strategic programme, approved last week during a town hall meeting, which aims to provide the city with eight anchor libraries and 18 neighbourhood libraries by 2024.

According to Lisbon’s councillor for culture, Catarina Vaz Pinto, the aim of the programme “is the reordering of Lisbon’s libraries throughout the council,” adding that these facilities “have not accompanied the modernisation that has been seen across the country” motivated by the national public reading plan from the Unesco’s International Federation of Library Association (IFLA).

For this reason, Mrs. Vaz Pinto said the aim “is to bring the libraries into the 21st Century,” transforming them into “cultural centres” that will include traditional facilities as well as active policies to combat illiteracy and exclusion as well as small auditoriums and exhibition areas.

“This is a great use of public money,” said our source at International Marketing Portugal, “Portugal has some amazing libraries, and it's important to keep them up to date, so as they can remain relevant to future generations.”

According to the councillor, these projects that are being funded with €4 million from the Programme for Priority Interventions and Urban Refurbishment (PIPARU) should be completed by the end of 2013. During the next 12 years, until 2024, the town hall aims to have eight anchor libraries in the city, including those in Alta de Lisboa, Marvila and Benfica and 18 neighbourhood libraries, more than doubling these facilities which only total 12 at the moment.

Our source at International Marketing Portugal said, “I look forward to seeing the improvements made to these libraries. Hopefully we'll see a real increase in people making use of these buildings as they are improved and made more accessible and useful.”

Catarina Vaz Pinto said that the exact locations and budgets involved will be defined “as conditions for budgets and spaces become available in the city.”