The first Public Library in San Sebastián was the result of a very early initiative: in 1844, Sebastián de Miñano donated his private book collection. However, it was not opened until 1874 and the first director was José López de Aizpuru. José de Manterola y Beldarrain created what he himself called the Bascongada Special Section.
Later, Antonio Arzac Alberdi printed the first catalogue of the library. With Práxedes Diego Altuna as director, the library's collection grew with the donation made by Fermín Lasala y Collado, Duke of Mandas, who had approximately 10,000 volumes, including magazines such as Gazette Nationale, Le Moniteur Universel and Revue des Deux Mondes.
In 1951, under Rufino Mendiola's direction, the library was moved to the old Town Hall on Plaza de la Constitución. As a new feature, he created the Children's Library. He also saw the need for a newspaper library, since the library had kept an important collection of mostly local newspapers and magazines from the late nineteenth century.
The library maintained its function of conservation and research until 1986, when the loan service was opened. In 1992, Susana Soto Aranzadi laid the foundations for the Network of Municipal Libraries of Donostia Kultura, which today has 18 branches.
Collection: Modern and historical. Local collection. Books, press, magazines, sound and audiovisual recordings, electronic resources, music scores, prints, maps, electronic book readers, computers.
CONTACT: Udal Liburutegi Nagusia Alderdi Eder, 1 20003 Donostia / San Sebastián Tel. 943 48 14 86 / 943 48 14 88
