Juan Ramón Molina National Library Biblioteca Nacional Juan Ramón Molina Honduras

Overview

The Juan Ramón Molina National Library (Biblioteca Nacional Juan Ramón Molina) is the national library of Honduras, containing more than 40,000 volumes. It is a public institution governed by the Secretariat of Cultures, Arts, and Patrimonies of the Peoples of Honduras (SECAPPH). Located in the Historic Center of Tegucigalpa, the library occupies the building of the former National Typography (Antigua Tipografía Nacional), constructed in 1780 during the Spanish colonial period as the Real Caja de Rescates, a financial institution linked to the mining industry.

History and Founding

The library was founded on August 27, 1880, during the administration of President Marco Aurelio Soto, through a government agreement of February 11, 1880, with an initial budget of one thousand pesos. It was established by Antonio Ramón Vallejo with the support of Secretario Ramón Rosa. For well over a century it operated without a specific name. On January 13, 2009, then-Secretary of Culture, Arts, and Sports Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle renamed the institution after the celebrated Honduran poet Juan Ramón Molina (1875–1908).

Collections and Holdings

The library holds more than 40,000 volumes covering a wide range of subjects. Its reading rooms have been named after notable Honduran intellectuals: Clementina Suárez (Sala Hondureña), Antonio Ramón Vallejo (Sala Infantil), Rubén Berríos (Fondo Antiguo), Aníbal Cruz (Pinacoteca), Ezequiel Padilla, and José Martí (Sala Extranjera y Referencial). The library also hosts the National ISBN Agency for Honduras, registering all significant publishing output in the country. It participates in the Biblioteca Centroamericana (through the Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes).

Mission and Access

The library's mission is to compile, catalog, classify, conserve, and disseminate all documentary production published in Honduras and abroad. The library is open to the public in person; it currently has no active website. It can be reached by phone and email.