Libraries sow urban peace in Colombia

In the mornings, when his mother leaves for work downtown, Juan David Camelo goes to the lcao La Marichuela library, in Usme, a neighborhood in the southern outskirts of Bogotá.  Apart from doing his homework, reading stories, hanging out with friends and taking part in creativity workshops, in La Marichuela, Juan David enters the magic world of literature.

The 12 year-old already considers himself a good reader. He is currently reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and dreams of being a nurse “when he grows up”.  Like Juan David, there are another 3,800 daily users of the Bibliored network of libraries, part of the 3 regional megalibraries, composed of 6 local libraries and 9 neighborhood libraries in Bogotá, the Colombian capital.

After seven years of uninterrupted labor, the initiative that came out of the Enrique Peñalosa administration, now begins to show results, not only as a way for foster knowledge, but also as an efficient tool for social inclusion and as a strategy to lower rates of urban violence.

“Although there is no data available on the Bibliored results with respect to urban violence, I can say that we have had very positive results with respect to the network’s social impact where the libraries are located, and in the city in general,” said Silvia Prada, Bibliored director

Doors open to all

According to Prada, Bogotá libraries have become an important tool for social equality, they are open to all regardless of their social, economic or cultural background. They have become an important place for the city's youths, not only for reading but as a place where they can carry out activities related to culture and leisure.

The libraries have also helped to restore the sense of public space and an empowermnet of their users. The libraries have helped better their surroundings, improving security in areas previously considered highly dangerous, and which are today very active and secure.

This is confirmed by Nohora Sarmiento, coordinator of the La Marichuela library where Juan David spends his free time and where he dreams of his future. Although it is a small library in comparison with the world famous megalibraries of El Tintal, El Tunal or Virgilio Barco – and their imposing architecture – La Marichuela and the eight local libraries play a vital role in their settings: that is, in underprivileged neighborhoods, home to low income workers and notorious for their lack of infrastructure.

We receive from 15,000 to 20,000 users a month. The library is open to all and is completely free of charge. That makes it a place that is dynamic, one that fosters a cultural activities that go much farther than reading,” said Sarmiento.

“It is our goal that children or youths who are left alone because their parents work the entire day, come here and find interesting things to do. We know them by name, there is a very pleasant rapport, and information is exchanged in a warm, safe and stimulating environment. It is a place where they can make good use of their time, instead of being left to fend for themselves on the streets or at home,” said Sarmiento.

The coordinator points out that the library is also open to homeless people and even to kids in the neighborhood deemed as being involved with antisocial behavior. “Here we foster tolerance, here everyone has rights and duties which are happily accepted,” Sarmiento said. 

Medellin Reads

One of the facts that allows us to reinforce the thesis that libraries have contributed to lowering levels of violence is the case of Medellin that launched a master plan for library services in 2004 and which resulted in 5 library-parks, all located in depressed areas of the city.

According to Jorge Melguizo, Medellín Secretary of Culture, the fact the city has currently a mere 9% of the violent deaths it had five years ago is certainly associated with the library-parks. “I am not saying that the libraries single-handedly lowered levels of violence, since there are a series of factors in the city that have generated a new climate, but these spaces for social inclusion, for gathering, and for opportunities have made a contribution.”

In Melguizo’s view the social impact of the library parks are clear: “When we began the Project we decided to build the libraries in areas  with the lowest human development indices. They were built in places that concentrated very high levels of violence, low income and next to no resources,” he said.

“The library parks meant, in a sense, laying the foundations for reading; they offer free access to the Internet where there was none; they bring cultural events to the community, both from the community itself and from the township, this means that we have high quality events which in turn generate tourism (both domestic and international) since they have become transit areas for people in town who would never even have considered entering one of these neighborhoods in the past,” he adds.

That is the case of the Santo Domingo library, visited by the King and Queen of Spain, reachable via subway and its connection to the metrocable, Medellin's skytrain. “The 'meteorites' that make up the library's architectural design are an allegory; they ask us to look up, to look over there, they have made the entire city look at a place that was previously known only for violence, and this, as  in other places, has generated a very high sense of self-esteem and belonging that is extremely positive forlife in the city.”

The investments have meant very good returns in social terms. The Medellin library parks cost 36 million dollars to build and maintance costs approximately one million one hundred thousand dollars a year. In Bogotá the administration invests four million four hundred thousand dollars a year.

In both cities the urban ensemble made up of parks, social centers, and monumental architecture, all of it built around a heart of books has become a motor for local pride and equality.

Translated by Lis Horta Moriconi