Seville Public Library
Encyclopedia
The Seville Public Library (Biblioteca Pública del Estado - Biblioteca Provincial Infanta Elena de Sevilla) is a public library
located in Seville
, Spain
.
The library was founded in 1959 and occupied two different buildings before moving to its current location in the Maria Luisa Park
.
The new building opened in 1999 with 5,000 square metres (54,000 sq ft) of public space.
With a highly innovative design, it has been nominated for a major European architectural award.
The library was opened on 2 October 1959, at first in premises provided by the Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del Pais. For its opening it was given 15,000 volumes from the 18th and 19th centuries.
The library moved in 1979 to a building at 19 calle Alfonso XII and was named the Biblioteca Pública Provincial de Sevilla (Provincial Public Library of Seville) for the next twenty years.
It moved again in 1999 to its present location with the new name of Biblioteca Pública Provincial Infanta Elena de Sevilla (Princess Elena Provincial Public Library of Seville).
In its new location the library has attracted growing numbers of visitors, prompting the management to extend the hours that it is open, even in the summer. In addition to being used for reading and study, the library supports a variety of cultural activities throughout the year. These include film series aimed at young audiences, musical theater and concerts. Over 25,000 people visited the library in August 2002.
From June to September 2011, however, the library was forced to close earlier due to the financial crisis. It would only be open from 9 am to 2 pm during this period. This drew complaints from students who had come to rely on the library as a place to study and from older people in the habit of reading the papers there in the afternoon or watching movies.
. It lies between the Pavillion of the United States and the Pavillion of Peru, which now holds the Science Center and the consulate of Peru.
The architects Cruz y Ortiz
were selected to undertake the project, which started in 1995.
The building conforms to the shape of the site, with six sides in all.
One of the sides faces the park while another faces the Guadalquivir River
The building was inaugurated in 1999 by the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo.
It was nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture in 2001.
The two-story building conceals an interior courtyard, invisible from outside, which provides a second source of natural light for the reading rooms. The courtyard itself can be used as an open-air reading room.
The structure defines a a C-shaped space with the rooms fully open to the interior façade.
The two floors have a combined area of 5000 square metres (53,819.6 sq ft).
The building is built of exposed brick and black metalwork. The ground floor is almost entirely open to the outside, while the first floor is taller and has a denser appearance. This is where the exposed brick is used. The roof is made of zinc that slopes slightly inward to the courtyard.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
located in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The library was founded in 1959 and occupied two different buildings before moving to its current location in the Maria Luisa Park
Maria Luisa Park
The Maria Luisa Park is a public park that stretches along the Guadalquivir River in Seville, Spain. It is Seville's principal green area.-History:...
.
The new building opened in 1999 with 5,000 square metres (54,000 sq ft) of public space.
With a highly innovative design, it has been nominated for a major European architectural award.
History
In 2011 Juan Muñoz Corn published La Historia de la Biblioteca Provincial de Sevilla, a history of the library from its inception in 1959 until 2009. The book was written by Juana Munoz, former director of the library. She describes the internal challenges and changes made to the library over the fifty year period, and relates these to the related external events and social changes. The book was issued in a limited edition of 1,000 copies.The library was opened on 2 October 1959, at first in premises provided by the Real Sociedad Económica de Amigos del Pais. For its opening it was given 15,000 volumes from the 18th and 19th centuries.
The library moved in 1979 to a building at 19 calle Alfonso XII and was named the Biblioteca Pública Provincial de Sevilla (Provincial Public Library of Seville) for the next twenty years.
It moved again in 1999 to its present location with the new name of Biblioteca Pública Provincial Infanta Elena de Sevilla (Princess Elena Provincial Public Library of Seville).
In its new location the library has attracted growing numbers of visitors, prompting the management to extend the hours that it is open, even in the summer. In addition to being used for reading and study, the library supports a variety of cultural activities throughout the year. These include film series aimed at young audiences, musical theater and concerts. Over 25,000 people visited the library in August 2002.
From June to September 2011, however, the library was forced to close earlier due to the financial crisis. It would only be open from 9 am to 2 pm during this period. This drew complaints from students who had come to rely on the library as a place to study and from older people in the habit of reading the papers there in the afternoon or watching movies.
Building
The current library building is located in the Parque de Maria Luisa. This was the site of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929Ibero-American Exposition of 1929
The Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 was a world's fair held in Seville, Spain, from the 9th of May 1929 until the 21st of June 1930. Countries in attendance of the exposition included: Portugal, The United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile, the Republic of Colombia, Cuba,...
. It lies between the Pavillion of the United States and the Pavillion of Peru, which now holds the Science Center and the consulate of Peru.
The architects Cruz y Ortiz
Cruz y Ortiz
Cruz y Ortiz arquitectos is an Architectural studio founded by Antonio Cruz Villalón y Antonio Ortiz García. The studio have offices in Seville y Amsterdam.- Biography :...
were selected to undertake the project, which started in 1995.
The building conforms to the shape of the site, with six sides in all.
One of the sides faces the park while another faces the Guadalquivir River
The building was inaugurated in 1999 by the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo.
It was nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture in 2001.
The two-story building conceals an interior courtyard, invisible from outside, which provides a second source of natural light for the reading rooms. The courtyard itself can be used as an open-air reading room.
The structure defines a a C-shaped space with the rooms fully open to the interior façade.
The two floors have a combined area of 5000 square metres (53,819.6 sq ft).
The building is built of exposed brick and black metalwork. The ground floor is almost entirely open to the outside, while the first floor is taller and has a denser appearance. This is where the exposed brick is used. The roof is made of zinc that slopes slightly inward to the courtyard.