National Library and custody of the patrimony

Abstract

Two years before its 150th. anniversary, the National Library has become a silent leader for the regulations of all public libraries in the country. As part of its work, it has complied with the duties of protecting, preserving, and promoting the bibliographic heritage of El Salvador. Its function as a regulating leader has been ignored by both politicians and society in general although they are aware of the relevance that such intellectual resource has for the cultural identity of the people and the knowledge necessary for human development. Knowing the heart of the most important library in the country allows us to find a bibliographic wealth of national history, which now has to compete in disadvantage with the digital era and the new technologies.