Biblioteca Publica (Public Library)

datnurse
datnurse
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4 out of 5
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3
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A Library Unique in all of North America

  • October 7, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by david stea from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
The "Biblioteca Publica" of San Miguel de Allende is, in addition to being a lending library, a community and cultural center, also housing a restaurant. The bilingual San Miguel Newspaper, ATENCION, is published there.

Theater productions, films, musical events, and lectures are presented throughout the year, and the San Miguel-based Center for Global Justice puts on a variety of presentations during the winter ("Snowbird Symposia") and summer ("Sweatbird Symposia"). The majority of these events are in English. The Biblioteca Publica has books and periodicals in both Spanish and English (nearly 30,000 volumes in the latter). The Biblioteca store offers books and art objects for sale. A library cars costs 50 pesos (currently about US$3.75 a year.
Editor Pick

Biblioteca Publica

  • December 18, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by tmhhmt from los angeles, California
Well, technically this isn't a store, or isn't only a store but I couldn't think of a better category.

The Biblioteca should be your first stop. The Biblioteca is the largest English library in San Miguel, and I think the second largest in Mexico. It is chock full of helpful English speaking expatriates that want to talk to you and help you. I think part of their desire to chat must stem from the need to talk to new people as in my month in San Miguel even I got quite tired of running into the same 6 people over and over and over and... well you get the idea.

Anyway, the Biblioteca sells tour books and maps of the city (and other things) - and is also a library/educational center/restaurant/great spot to sit and do nothing.

Go to the Biblioteca your first day and buy yourself a map. Some of the streets change their names from block to block so a map is a most helpful thing if you plan on getting somewhere other than by happenstance. For example - the street Prolongacion Aldama becomes the Canadita de los Aguacates which becomes Recreo, except that if you make a left off of Canadita you wind up on Prolongacion Aldama again which then becomes Aldama, jogs left and becomes Cuna de Allende then Hidalgo which then turns right and is called Calzada de la Aurora. How do I know all that - because I still have my map.

The tour books they have in the Biblioteca are quite good, some excellent. I looked around bookstores at home before my trip but there was never more than a page or two on San Miguel. Amazon.com had a book about San Miguel that they said was out of print - that book was available for sale in the Biblioteca. They also have lots of books on walking tours of the town and surrounding areas.

The Biblioteca also sponsors tours - the money from which goes to children's education. The house tour is what they are best known for and it takes place every Sunday morning. I hated it more than you can possibly imagine. They also have tours of the city that are much better. My tour was given by an elderly American gentleman (but don't tell him I said that he was elderly) who knew everything and everybody. It wasn't the best tour I've ever been on in my life but it did give me a good overview of the town and how to get around it.

From journal Day of the Dead in San Miguel De Allende

Biblioteca Publica (Public Library)

  • November 21, 2000
  • Rated 3 of 5 by datnurse from Wever, Iowa
Biblioteca Publica (Public Library)

This beautiful colonial building contains Mexico’s second largest English language library. I had a little trouble finding it but was finally rescued by a lovely local woman and her daughter who walked several blocks out of their way to take me. This is typically of the lovely, gentle, and hospitable Mexican women. Don't let my difficulty finding the library concern you - I can get lost in my own library at home! Once there though I was amazed by the fascinating colonial architecture of the three story building. Inside it's a labyrinth of aisles and courtyards. In the courtyards are large comfortable chairs so it's a pleasant place to spend a quiet morning, reading and resting from your busier days in San Miguel. On the second floor there is a bistro that serves light lunches and deserts. Don't miss the gift shop too. The gift shop is where you can arrange tours in and around San Miguel.

From journal Out and About in San Miguel

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