Palafoxiana Library, Puebla, 1473-1821
Inscribed on the Memory of the World Regional Register for Latin America and the Caribbean in 2004 and on the MoW International Register in 2005, the Palafoxiana Library was founded by Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza in 1646. In 1773, the bishop donated his personal collection of over 5,000 volumes, under the condition that anyone who could read would have the right to do so, beyond just clergy and seminarians, thus becoming the first public library in Latin America. It holds an historic bibliographic fonds of 45,059 volumes, including collections of manuscripts, loose sheets and incunabula. The oldest copy is an edition of "The Nine Books of the History of Herodotus", printed in 1473.
Being the first public library in Latin America, having remained in the same place for over three centuries, together with the importance of its collection, which is closed, are the reasons for highlighting its significance. The library's furnishings and organisation have remained unchanged for 200 years, as a model of a novo-Hispanic and viceregal library that continues to function to this day.