About this book
A Bibliotheca Nacional Suas deficiencias e remedios d'essas deficiencias by Xavier da Cunha delivers a compelling, firsthand appeal for the modernization of Portugal’s national library. Written as a thesis and presented before the National Congress on May 23, 1910, and informed by da Cunha’s appointment as Director in 1902, the work combines institutional critique with practical prescriptions for reform.
Part historical survey and part administrative manifesto, this non-fiction study traces the Biblioteca Nacional de Lisboa from its 1796 founding as the Real Bibliotheca Pública da Corte through its relocation to the Convento de São Francisco after the suppression of religious orders. Da Cunha diagnoses chronic problems—unsuitable premises, limited space, preservation and access challenges, and organizational shortcomings—and proposes remedies grounded in the era’s cultural and political realities. The text illuminates broader themes of public heritage management, library science, and state responsibility for cultural institutions during a pivotal moment in Portuguese history.
Ideal for librarians, archivists, historians of Portuguese culture, and anyone interested in library reform or early 20th-century public policy, this audiobook offers a concise, authoritative perspective on the challenges of preserving and democratizing a national collection.
