Special Libraries

Among the libraries of Portugal the Biblioteca Nacional at Lisbon (1796) naturally takes the first place. In 1841 it was largely increased from the monastic collections, and now has 800,000 vols. of printed books, largely on theology, canon law, history and Portuguese and Spanish literature, 16,000 mss., and 40,000 'coins and medals. The Academia das Sciencias (1779), in the suppressed convent of the Ordem Terceira da Penitencia, in 1836 acquired the library of that convent (30,00o vols.) which has since been kept apart. The Archivo Nacional was brought here in The Biblioteca Publica Municipal at Oporto, founded during the siege of 1833, and till 1874 styled the Real Biblioteca do Porto, is one of the largest in Portugal (about 300,00o vols.). The regent gave to the town the libraries of the suppressed convents in the northern provinces. The important Camoens collection is de scribed in a printed catalogue (I88o), and the mss. by H. da Cunha Rivara (1850-7o). The University Library of Coimbra (1591) 300,00o vols., the Instituto Juridico, Coimbra (1912) 53,000 vols., and the Biblioteca Provincial, Cadiz 40,000 vols., may be mentioned.

Much interest in libraries has not been shown in Latin America Most of the libraries which exist are national or legislative libraries.

Cuba.

The chief are in Havana, and the best is the Biblioteca Nacional (19o1), 256,00o vols., the Biblioteca Publica. The Biblioteca Publica is one of the most actively-managed libraries in Latin America.

Mexico.

Of the 29 States the territories of the Mexican re public, many possess rare and valuable books from the libraries of the suppressed religious bodies, but few have much modern literature. Many scientific and literary associations in the republic possess books. The Society of Geography and Statistics in Mexico City (founded 1833, reorganized 185r), the most important of them, owns a fine museum and library. The ecclesiastical libraries of Mexico City were amalgamated as the Biblioteca Nacional; this now possesses over 200,000 volumes. Two copies of every book printed in Mexico must be deposited in it. Most of the libraries of Mexico, city or provincial, are subscription, and belong to societies and schools of various kinds. The American Library Association is spreading Anglo-American library technique in Mexico, and also in the Philippines.

Argentina.

There are more than 200 public libraries in Ar gentina. They are due to benefactions, but the Government adds an equal sum to endowments. A central commission exists to facilitate the acquisition of books and to secure good administra tion. The most considerable is the Biblioteca Nacional at Buenos Aires (i81o), which is passably rich in mss. concerning the early history of the Spanish colonies and has 350,000 printed volumes. The Biblioteca Popular del Municipio (1879) has about 8o,000 volumes. There are also libraries attached to colleges, churches and clubs.

Brazil, Chile and Peru.

The chief library in Brazil is the Biblioteca Nacional at Rio de Janeiro (r8ro), now comprising over 488,000 printed vols., with many mss., largely on South America. Other libraries of the capital are those of the Faculty of Medicine, Marine library, National museum, Portuguese Lit erary club, Biblioteca Fluminense, Benedictine monastery, and the Biblioteca Municipal (6o,000 vols.). There are provincial and

town libraries throughout Brazil.

The Biblioteca Nacional at Santiago (1813) is the chief library in Chile. It possesses about 23 2,00o volumes. There is also a uni versity library at Santiago (40,000 vols.) and the Biblioteca Publica at Valparaiso (50,000 vols.).

The Biblioteca Nacional at Lima was founded by a decree of the liberator, San Martin, in 182o, from those of the university of San Marcos and of several monasteries, and books presented by the liberator; it is rich in the history of Peru.

Netherlands.

Since 190o there has been considerable prog ress made in both Belgium and Holland in the development of public libraries, and many towns in the latter country have established popular libraries after the fashion of the municipal libraries of the United Kingdom and America.

Belgium.—The national library of Belgium is the Bibliotheque Royale at Brussels, based on the Bibliotheque des ducs de Bour gogne, the library of the Austrian sovereigns of the Low Coun tries in 1772. In 1794 a number of volumes were transferred to Paris, the majority being returned in 1815; in 1795 the remainder were formed into a public library under the care of La Serna San tander, who was also town librarian, and who was followed by van Hulthem. At the end of the administration of van Hulthem a large part of the precious collections of the Bollandists was acquired. In 183o the Bibliotheque de Bourgogne was added to the State archives. Van Hulthem died in 1832; his private library (catalogue printed 1836), mostly relating to Belgian history, was purchased in 1837, and, having been added to the Bibliotheque de Bourgogne and the Bibliotheque de la Ville (open since formed the Bibliotheque Royale de Belgique. The printed volumes now number over 800,000, with 31,200 mss., 34,600 maps, 1,267, 70o prints and 8o,000 coins and medals. There are printed cata logues of special collections of mss., of accessions, etc. There is no free legal deposit of books in Belgium; the Government pur chases new books from the publishers and deposits them in the Royal library. The financial crisis after 1918 led to proposals, by a governmental committee of economics, to divide the foreign accessions of the library among those of various ministries; but in 1928 the scheme had been severely animadverted on and seemed unlikely to be pressed. There are libraries attached to most of the departments of the Government. Other important libraries are the Bibliotheque Collective des Societes Savantes (1906), with a union catalogue on cards, and the Bibliotheque du Conservatoire Royal de Musique (1832) with 31,00o volumes. The popular or communal libraries of Brussels (1842) and of the suburbs are distributed through the schools. At Antwerp the town library (1505) has now 50o,000 volumes. The valuable col lection of books in the Musee Plantin-Moretus (1640) should also be mentioned. It contains 427 mss. and 20,000 printed books, comprising the works issued by the Plantin family and many 15th century books, besides the archives of the firm.