Memoria Chilena Biblioteca Nacional de Chile

History and Founding

Memoria Chilena is a digital cultural portal and virtual library operated by the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile (National Library of Chile), part of the Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural. Development of the project began in 2001 and the portal was publicly launched on 3 October 2003. A Laboratorio de Digitalización (Digitisation Laboratory) was inaugurated at the National Library in August 2013, the institution's 200th anniversary, providing state-of-the-art equipment for digitisation of printed and audiovisual materials; by 2025 it is described as among the most technologically advanced in Latin America.

Collections and Holdings

Memoria Chilena organises its holdings through thematic 'minisitios' (mini-sites), each dedicated to a key person, event, work, or process in Chilean history and culture. The portal covers areas of history, literature, social sciences, music, and visual arts, as well as architecture and urbanism, science and technology, press and journalism, indigenous peoples, and territory and environment. As of 2024, the portal contains over 5,200 digitised books, more than 3,000 digitised journals, 453 digitised periodicals, and over one million digitised pages in total. The collection includes books, magazines, newspapers in original editions, articles and press clippings, manuscripts and letters, photographs, illustrations, maps and plans, audiovisual recordings, scores, and government documents. The oldest and rarest items from the National Library's patrimonial collections are included, as well as materials from the Archivo Nacional and the Museo Histórico Nacional.

Significance for Journalism and Media

Memoria Chilena is particularly notable for its digitised press and periodical holdings. The portal includes digitised runs of historic Chilean newspapers and magazines, and specific minisitios devoted to press history, individual newspapers and journals, and the history of Chilean journalism. The area 'Prensa y Periodismo' (Press and Journalism) provides thematic access to media-related content.

Access and Usage

Memoria Chilena is freely accessible online to users worldwide. Documents in the public domain may be downloaded freely. Materials under active copyright require authorisation from rights holders. As of 2023, the portal attracts approximately 7.7 million users annually. Digitised content is also accessible through the Biblioteca Nacional Digital (BNd) platform at bibliotecanacionaldigital.gob.cl.