Central Library (UNAM)

Central Library of National Autonomous University of Mexico
Collection
Central Library exterior
Established	1950
Location	Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico
Size	428,000 book volumes in general collection, reference collection and special collection. 70,000 volumes in historical collection (1450-1950). 3507 periodical titles.^[1]
Website	http://bc.unam.mx/

Central Library (UNAM Biblioteca Central), is the main library in the Ciudad Universitaria Campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). It holds one of the largest collections in Mexico. It is in a group of landmark buildings that make the Campus a World Heritage site.

The outside of the library building is covered with various murals, which were done by Juan O'Gorman.

History

The library opened its doors for the first time on April 5, 1956, after being moved from its original location in Mexico City center, where it had been for the previous 50 years.

Collection

It currently holds around 400,000 books.^[2]

Services

The library has book loan services, and online searching and downloading of digital content that it distributes among all the UNAM servers, and accessible to all students and academics of the University.

Murals

The idea for the murals was proposed by O'Gorman to Carlos Lazo (Manager of the Ciudad Universitaria project). Lazo was very excited, especially by the idea of making a mural made just out of thousands of colored tiles, something that never had been done at that scale.

The tiles were brought from many different parts of the country because a large number of colors were needed for the construction.^[3]

North Wall: Pre-Hispanic Past

This mural represents the ancient past of Mexican Culture, having a rough representation of what Mexico City was originally. It contains a River that encompasses what used to be the Center and on the border the symbols for the different surrounding neighborhoods are represented. In the Center a Tenochtitlan representation recreating the Mexico City foundation legend, in which the natives were supposed to found their city in the place where they find an eagle eating a snake and standing in a cactus.

South Wall: Colony Past
East Wall: Contemporaneous World
West Wall: The University and Modern Mexico

References

External links

Official Website

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Faculties	Engineering Accounting and Administration Architecture Chemistry Economics Law Medicine Odontology Philosophy and Literature Political and Social Sciences Psychology Sciences Veterinarian Medicine

FES	Acatlán Aragón Cuautitlán Iztacala Zaragoza

Schools	Arts Music Nursery and Obstetrics Social Work National Preparatory School

Centres	University Center for Film Studies DGSCA Centro de Relaciones Internacionales (CRI)

Institutes	Applied Mathematics and Systems Research Institute Aesthetics Research Institute Engineering institute

Buildings	Central Library

Facilities	Ciudad Universitaria (Main Campus) Olympic Stadium Radio UNAM (AM, FM) teveunam National Observatory Kan Balam

History	Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico National Autonomous University of Mexico 1999 Students Strike

Alumni	Alumni Astronomical Society

Professors and researchers	Axel Didriksson Luis E. Miramontes Francisco Gil Villegas Miguel Ángel Mancera Arturo Zaldívar Lelo de Larrea Fernando Quevedo Francisco González de la Vega Antonio Lazcano

Sports	Association football club Pumas Dorados de la UNAM

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