About Colombia
Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
Area: 1,140,619 km²
Population: 52,886,363
Libraries (Service Points): 21,559
Libraries in Colombia
The National Network of Public Libraries, which is a centralized system, includes public libraries and provides library services at the national, departmental and municipal levels. It is coordinated at the national level by the Ministry of Culture through the National Library of Colombia.
The network consists of following library types:
- The National Library: institution of legal deposit as an essential mechanism for its mission to collect, organise, increase, preserve, protect, register and disseminate the bibliographic and documental heritage of the nation.
- Public libraries which provides services to the general public and is available to all members of society.
- State public libraries of national, departmental, district or municipal levels, which belong or are organised by the national government and its various territorial levels, and act in accordance with national laws.
This network doesn’t include public libraries which are funded either by private organisations or public-private partnerships. Those types of libraries are being established by autonomous or non-governmental institutions with independent budgets. According to law, these libraries can establish its own networks. Examples of these libraries are: libraries of the Family Compensation Fund (Caja de compensación familiar, a private organisation), community libraries, libraries of the National Bank of Colombia, and research and university libraries which belongs to research institutes or higher education establishments.
The Ministry of Culture through the National Library of Colombia is the agency responsible for development of policy for public libraries, aiming at creation, promotion and strengthening of all types of public libraries as well as for its library services.
The national, departmental, district or municipal governments shall include in its annual budgets the appropriation line to create, strengthen and maintain the number of libraries in its respective jurisdiction. Also, according to the Law 60 of 1993, the municipalities assign the budget (2%) to cultural houses and public libraries.
SDG stories
Library data (Totals)
|
Library type |
Total |
National |
Academic |
Public |
Community |
School |
Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Libraries (Service Points)
Library service point is a fixed or mobile facility through which library provides a service to its users. Central libraries, branch libraries, mobile libraries, and external service points located in different geographical locations and managed by one administrative unit are all each individual service points. Number of libraries is the total number of central/main libraries, branch libraries, external service points and mobile libraries. 21,559 |
21,559 2022 |
1 2022 |
252 2016 |
1,702 2016 |
204 2016 |
19,400 2013 |
— |
|
Main Libraries
Central/main library is usually part or those parts of an administrative unit where the main administrative functions and the important parts of the library collection and services are located. An administrative unit comprising several branch libraries does not necessarily include a central library. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Branch Libraries
Branch library is a part of a larger administrative unit providing, in separate quarters, a service for a particular user group (e.g. children, faculties) or for a locally defined clientele. Institute, departmental and other affiliated libraries are included. Mobile libraries and external service points are excluded. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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External Service Points
External service point is a point away from library premises at which a certain service is regularly offered to users. This includes places within a locality at which library material is deposited for informal circulation to a restricted group of users but without other library services, for example, old people’s homes, community centres, collections for hospital patients. Mobile libraries and their stops are not counted as external service points. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Mobile Libraries
Mobile library is a library, sometimes a division of a public library, using transport means to provide documents and services directly to users as an alternative to access on library premises. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Libraries (Administrative Units)
Administrative unit is any independent library, or group of libraries, under a single directorate or a single administration. The term “independent” does not imply legal or financial independence but only that the library is a recognisably separate unit, typically within a larger organisation. The administrative unit can be a single library or a larger organisation, typically containing a central/main library, branch libraries and administrative functions. — |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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Libraries with Internet Access
Libraries (Service Points) that provides internet access from at least one workstation available to the public regardless of whether access is free, and/or provides a wireless network allowing users to connect to the Internet. 1,894 |
1,894 2016 |
1 2016 |
— |
1,702 2012 |
191 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Full-Time Staff
Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff are all library employees who work for the library in return for payment. It includes professional staff, qualified staff, project staff and assistants. Other staff (library employees who work in security and on domestic duties, for example, cleaners, porters, caretakers and catering staff) and volunteers are excluded. 11,493 |
11,493 2016 |
25 2016 |
7,560 2016 |
3,500 2016 |
408 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Volunteers
Volunteer is a person working on library tasks without payment. In counting volunteers, the concept of headcount is used. 820 |
820 2016 |
4 2016 |
— |
— |
816 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Registered Users
Registered user is a person or organisation registered with a library in order to use its collection and/or services within or away from the library. Users may be registered upon their request or automatically when enrolling in the institutions. 10.6 M |
10,563,333 2016 |
8,409 2016 |
9,226,844 2016 |
1,324,000 2012 |
4,080 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Physical Visits
Physical visit is a person (individual) entering the library premises. 264.8 M |
264,849,874 2016 |
46,874 2016 |
252,000,000 2016 |
12,803,000 2012 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Physical Loans
Physical loan is a direct lending or delivery transaction of an item in physical form. Physical loans include loans of items in non-electronic form (e.g. books) and loans electronic documents on a physical carrier (e.g. CD-ROM). 23.6 M |
23,640,979 2016 |
61,979 2016 |
20,975,000 2016 |
2,604,000 2012 |
— |
— |
— |
|
eBook Loans
eBook is a non-serial digital document, licenced or not, where searchable text is prevalent, and similar to a print book (monograph). eBooks can be lent to users either on portable devices (eBook readers) or by transmitting the contents to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. 277.2 M |
277,200,012 2016 |
12 2016 |
277,200,000 2016 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Audio Book Loans
Audio book (or talking book) is a sound recording of readings of a book, magazine, or newspaper, usually designed for use by visually impaired people. Audio books can be lent to users either on a physical carrier or other device, or by transmitting the content to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. 304 |
304 2016 |
304 2016 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Downloads
Download is a content unit that is successfully requested from a library-provided online service or other internet service (e.g. database, electronic serial or digital document). 378 M |
378,040,700 2016 |
40,700 2016 |
378,000,000 2016 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Library data (Per 1M People)
|
Library type |
Total |
National |
Academic |
Public |
Community |
School |
Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Libraries (Service Points)
21,559
Library service point is a fixed or mobile facility through which library provides a service to its users. Central libraries, branch libraries, mobile libraries, and external service points located in different geographical locations and managed by one administrative unit are all each individual service points. Number of libraries is the total number of central/main libraries, branch libraries, external service points and mobile libraries. |
407.6 2022 |
0 2022 |
4.8 2016 |
32.2 2016 |
3.9 2016 |
366.8 2013 |
— |
|
Main Libraries
—
Central/main library is usually part or those parts of an administrative unit where the main administrative functions and the important parts of the library collection and services are located. An administrative unit comprising several branch libraries does not necessarily include a central library. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Branch Libraries
—
Branch library is a part of a larger administrative unit providing, in separate quarters, a service for a particular user group (e.g. children, faculties) or for a locally defined clientele. Institute, departmental and other affiliated libraries are included. Mobile libraries and external service points are excluded. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
External Service Points
—
External service point is a point away from library premises at which a certain service is regularly offered to users. This includes places within a locality at which library material is deposited for informal circulation to a restricted group of users but without other library services, for example, old people’s homes, community centres, collections for hospital patients. Mobile libraries and their stops are not counted as external service points. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Mobile Libraries
—
Mobile library is a library, sometimes a division of a public library, using transport means to provide documents and services directly to users as an alternative to access on library premises. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Libraries (Administrative Units)
—
Administrative unit is any independent library, or group of libraries, under a single directorate or a single administration. The term “independent” does not imply legal or financial independence but only that the library is a recognisably separate unit, typically within a larger organisation. The administrative unit can be a single library or a larger organisation, typically containing a central/main library, branch libraries and administrative functions. |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Libraries with Internet Access
1,894
Libraries (Service Points) that provides internet access from at least one workstation available to the public regardless of whether access is free, and/or provides a wireless network allowing users to connect to the Internet. |
35.8 2016 |
0 2016 |
— |
32.2 2012 |
3.6 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Full-Time Staff
11,493
Full-time equivalent (FTE) staff are all library employees who work for the library in return for payment. It includes professional staff, qualified staff, project staff and assistants. Other staff (library employees who work in security and on domestic duties, for example, cleaners, porters, caretakers and catering staff) and volunteers are excluded. |
217.3 2016 |
0.5 2016 |
142.9 2016 |
66.2 2016 |
7.7 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Volunteers
820
Volunteer is a person working on library tasks without payment. In counting volunteers, the concept of headcount is used. |
15.5 2016 |
0.1 2016 |
— |
— |
15.4 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Registered Users
10.6 M
Registered user is a person or organisation registered with a library in order to use its collection and/or services within or away from the library. Users may be registered upon their request or automatically when enrolling in the institutions. |
199,736.4 2016 |
159 2016 |
174,465.5 2016 |
25,034.8 2012 |
77.1 2016 |
— |
— |
|
Physical Visits
264.8 M
Physical visit is a person (individual) entering the library premises. |
5 M 2016 |
886.3 2016 |
4.8 M 2016 |
242,085.1 2012 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Physical Loans
23.6 M
Physical loan is a direct lending or delivery transaction of an item in physical form. Physical loans include loans of items in non-electronic form (e.g. books) and loans electronic documents on a physical carrier (e.g. CD-ROM). |
447,014.6 2016 |
1,171.9 2016 |
396,605.1 2016 |
49,237.6 2012 |
— |
— |
— |
|
eBook Loans
277.2 M
eBook is a non-serial digital document, licenced or not, where searchable text is prevalent, and similar to a print book (monograph). eBooks can be lent to users either on portable devices (eBook readers) or by transmitting the contents to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. |
5.2 M 2016 |
0.2 2016 |
5.2 M 2016 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Audio Book Loans
304
Audio book (or talking book) is a sound recording of readings of a book, magazine, or newspaper, usually designed for use by visually impaired people. Audio books can be lent to users either on a physical carrier or other device, or by transmitting the content to the user’s PC or other device for a limited time period. |
5.7 2016 |
5.7 2016 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Downloads
378 M
Download is a content unit that is successfully requested from a library-provided online service or other internet service (e.g. database, electronic serial or digital document). |
7.1 M 2016 |
769.6 2016 |
7.1 M 2016 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
Contextual data
|
Population |
Colombia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Population Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates. |
52,886,363 2024 |
662,186,388 2024 |
8,141,808,945 2024 |
|
Proportion of Population Younger than 15 Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population. |
29.0% 2024 |
33.3% 2024 |
38.0% 2024 |
|
Proportion of Population Older than 64 Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population. |
14.0% 2024 |
14.5% 2024 |
15.7% 2024 |
|
Population Growth Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. |
1.1% 2024 |
1 2024 |
1.0% 2024 |
|
Population Density Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes. |
47.2% 2023 |
32.6% 2022 |
61.6% 2022 |
|
Urban Population Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division. |
78.5% 2024 |
81.3% 2024 |
57.6% 2024 |
|
Information Infrastructure |
Colombia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Internet Users Internet users are individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc. |
77.3% 2023 |
81.7% 2024 |
71.2% 2024 |
|
Female Internet Users This indicator refers to female individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc. |
73.6% 2022 |
81.3% 2024 |
68.2% 2024 |
|
Male Internet Users This indicator refers to male individuals who have used the Internet (from any location) in the last 3 months. The Internet can be used via a computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, games machine, digital TV etc. |
- |
81.3% |
- |
|
Access to Electricity Access to electricity is the percentage of population with access to electricity. Electrification data are collected from industry, national surveys and international sources. |
98.7% 2023 |
98.4% 2023 |
91.6% 2023 |
|
Economy, Poverty, and Employment |
Colombia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GDP per Capita This indicator provides values for gross domestic product (GDP) expressed in current international dollars, converted by purchasing power parities (PPPs). PPPs account for the different price levels across countries and thus PPP-based comparisons of economic output are more appropriate for comparing the output of economies and the average material well-being of their inhabitants than exchange-rate based comparisons. Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. This series has been linked to produce a consistent time series to counteract breaks in series over time due to changes in base years, source data and methodologies. Thus, it may not be comparable with other national accounts series in the database for historical years. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. The PPP conversion factor is a currency conversion factor and a spatial price deflator. PPPs convert different currencies to a common currency and, in the process of conversion, equalize their purchasing power by eliminating the differences in price levels between countries, thereby allowing volume or output comparisons of GDP and its expenditure components. |
21,509 2024 |
22,880.9 2024 |
24,405 2024 |
|
Poverty Rate Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $3.00 a day at 2021 purchasing power adjusted prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions. |
7.7% 2023 |
4.5% 2024 |
10.3% 2024 |
|
Inequality Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality. |
53.9% 2023 |
0.0% |
- |
|
Unemployment Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country. |
9.6% 2024 |
5.5% 2024 |
6.2% 2021 |
|
Inactive Youth The share of youth not in education, employment or training (also known as “the NEET rate”) conveys the number of young persons not in education, employment or training as a percentage of the total youth population. Youth not in education are those who were neither enrolled in school nor in a formal training program (e.g. vocational training). For the purposes of this indicator, youth is defined as all persons between the ages of 15 and 24 (inclusive). percentage of youth population |
23.2% 2024 |
18.4% 2024 |
- |
|
Education and Literacy |
Colombia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Education Spending General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments. percentage of GDP |
5.3% 2020 |
3.8% 2023 |
3.5% 2023 |
|
Adult Literacy Rate Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of people ages 15 and above |
95.3% 2024 |
3.8% 2023 |
87.7% 2024 |
|
Female Adult Literacy Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of females ages 15 and above |
95.7% 2024 |
94.7% 2024 |
84.6% 2024 |
|
Male Adult Literacy Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of males ages 15 and above |
95.7% 2024 |
95.2% 2024 |
90.9% 2024 |
|
Female Youth Literacy Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of females ages 15-24 |
99.5% 2024 |
98.9% 2024 |
92.0% 2024 |
|
Male Youth Literacy Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. percentage of males ages 15-24 |
98.4% 2024 |
98.5% 2024 |
94.1% 2024 |
|
Research and Innovation |
Colombia |
Region |
World |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Research Spending Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development. percentage of GDP |
0.3% 2020 |
0.6% 2020 |
2.7% 2022 |
|
Researchers The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development. per million people |
90 2017 |
582.7 2014 |
1,516 2018 |
|
Scientific Articles Article counts refer to publications from a selection of conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journals from Scopus in science and engineering fields, according to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics Taxonomy of Disciplines. fractional count |
9,683 2022 |
130,281.9 2022 |
3,338,192 2022 |
National Library Associations
Colombian Association of Library Science-Ascolbi / Colegio Colombiano de Bibliotecología, Ascolbi
Ascolbi is responsible for organizing, representing and strengthening students and professionals of Library and Information Science in Colombia through leading disciplinary, ethics, academic, scientific, social and public policy debate; the professional update, exchange and generation of knowledge aiming at improving the process of acquisition, classification, description, conservation, access, clasification, and social appropriation of information and knowledge. It has representatives in the National Council of Librarianship, institution responsible for regulating the professional practice in Colombia. Boards of directors of both institutions (Ascolbi and the National Council of Librarianship) change each three years.
National Library
National Library of Colombia / Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia, BNC
The National Library of Colombia is the main library of bibliographic heritage in the country. It is the head representative of the National Network of Public Libraries. It guarantees the retrievement, preservation and access to the collective memory of the country. It is also responsible for planning and designing policies related to reading, public libraries, and its development.
Policy Making Institutions
National Ministry of Culture / Ministerio de Cultura
Institutions responsible of policy making related to libraries are in three territorial levels: national, departamental and municipal, each one with its specific competencies. At the national level, the Ministry of Culture through the National Library of Colombia is responsible for policies related to reading and bibliographic heritage.
National Ministry of Education / Ministerio de Educación
The National Ministry of Educations is responsible for policies related to university and research libraries as well as school libraries.
Library Support Organisations
Association of Friends of Libraries, Culture and Education, Biblioamigos / Asociación de Amigos de las Bibliotecas, la Cultura y la Educación, Biblioamigos
Established in 2001, with the main objective of supporting and strengthening an educational and cultural project offered by national public libraries and public libraries of Bogotá. Its work is aimed at four strategic directions:
1. Promote, advise and formulate librarianship, educational and cultural projects.
2. Manage, collect, and execute economic and/ or in kind resources.
3. To perform strategic alliances with public administration and private company for the successful development of projects.
4. Produce links with citizenship through educational process and appropriations of projects.
National Policy for Libraries
Policy for reading and libraries / Política de lectura y bibliotecas
Policy is defined around two fundamental axis: access and memory which materializes in the Public Library System and the Heritage Libraries System. Its principal aim is to garanty the possibilities of access to all people to reading and information, and knowledge production without any barrier, as well as to retrieve, conserve, organise, control, and access bibliographic and documentary heritage. It integrates actors from national, departamental and municipal government, universities and research groups, librarians, non-governmental entities, etc. In addition, Colombia has other plans which support and consolidate the policy.
Library Law
National Law 1379 of 15th january of 2010, by which ir organized the National Network of Public Libraries and dictates other dispositions / Ley 1379 del 15 de enero de 2010, por la cual se organiza la Red Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas y se dictan otras disposiciones
The objective of this law is to define the policy of National Network of Public Libraries, to regulate its functioning and to establish instruments for its integral and sustainable development. It applies to institutions, proceses and resources related to the National Network of Public Libraries coordinated by the Ministry of Colombia through the National Library of Colombia. The law doesn’t apply to public libraries which are established by autonomous or non-governmental institutions and funded by private or public-private funds. Also, this law defines: the creation of Technical Committee of National Public Libraries and responsibilities in different territorial levels of libraries: national, departamental and municipal.
Legal Deposit Law
National Law 44 5th february, by which it modifies and add the Law 23 of 1982 and modifies the Law 29 of 1944 / Ley 44 de 1993. Por la cual se modifica y adiciona la Ley 23 de 1982 y se modifica la Ley 29 de 1944
Regulated by Law 44 of 1993, Decreto (ordinance) 1080 of 2015, Decreto (ordinance) 358 of 2000 and Law 1379 of 2010. Deposit law applies to: editors, audiovisual and phonograms producers, video recorders producers, and the authors of printed, audiovisual or phonograms work when they assumed the edition and distributions of its own works established in the country. By 2013 the National Library of Colombia- Selection and Acquisitions Division implemented the voluntary digital deposit through its web site and is harvesting the Colombian web.
Copyright Law & Library Exceptions and Limitations
Law (act) 23 from 1982 on authors’ rights / Ley 23 de 1982 sobre derechos de autor
The framework of copyright law in Colombia is Law 23, 1982. Since 2011, some proposals for updates have been made and since then the librarians have been making comments for the inclusion of exceptions and limitations in these proposals.
Exceptions and limitations for libraries
The law allow for some basic activities, but there have been extensive debates about what the law does not allow, but it is a common practice among librarians, where multiple copyright infringements could be made or libraries would no longer offer services and access to the information for fear of committing infractions. It was detected that legislators are unaware of the daily work of libraries, and there is no connection between changing needs, legislators and library practices. In 2018, the standard was updated for the first time with joint work and consensus among the various stakeholders and exceptions were obtained for loans, digital deposit and orphan works. Colombia had an exception for translation of documents but with an update of 2012 this exception was eliminated, affecting access to information for the various languages spoken in the country. Due to the Free Trade Agreement between Colombia and the United States, an update on Internet Service Providers must be made. The terms of protection of exclusive rights should have been increased, affecting seriously the public domain without having studies that demonstrate that increase strengthens the creation, making the work of libraries in the country more difficult. In 2013, Colombia declared itself in favor of a Treaty on exceptions and limitations for libraries in the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights at WIPO, but unfortunately it was the only time it did. Colombia’s position has been to support the protection of authors, being quite timid in the inclusion of exceptions and limitations in favor of libraries and archives. The update of the 2018 law includes the review of exceptions every 3 years; by 2020 public hearings should be held with a view to updating the law and the library sector is expected to present itself at mentioned hearing. The initative which made the agreements possible is #BibliotecariosAlSenado. In 2021, Colombia ratified the Marrakesh treaty with the law 2090.
Professional Qualification Requirements
Professional Qualification Requirements
There is a card issued for professionals in librarianship. This card allows to exercise the profession and is regulated by Law 11 of 1979. However, it is usual for librarians not to have this professional card; there is a large concentration of professionals in the main capital cities and in a large part of the country. Libraries are run by professionals from other areas, not necessarily graduate librarians.
Education
Education
The level of training in Library and Information Science in Colombia is mainly bachelor; there are technical, technological and professional training programs. At the graduate level there is a specialization and a master’s degree. Bachelor programs are taught by the universities Javeriana, La Salle, Antioquia, Quindío and INPAHU. The National Apprenticeship System SENA offers technical training and INPAHU has a technological program. Postgraduate studies are taught by the Javeriana University and the University of Antioquia.
Professional Publications
Inter-American Journal of Librarianship / Revista Interamericana de Bibliotecología
Revista Interamericana de Bibliotecología is a peer-reviewed scientific journal aimed at librarians, archivists and specialists in information science. It constitutes a reliable channel for the publication of original and unpublished articles, written in Spanish, English or Portuguese, and derived from research. It also welcomes theoretical studies, the revision works and the original reflections, which give an account of the progress of librarianship and its related disciplines, especially in Latin America. The Journal is published quarterly and can be obtained by subscription in its printed version, or by free access to its contents in the electronic version offered by its website.
Professional Events
Librarians’ Day
At the national level, different celebrations are held for the Librarians’ Day, which coincides with the day of the language, in April each year. Among other events, the celebration is held by the Department and the Information Science Career at the Javeriana University, where conferences are offered and it is an opportunity for students and graduates to exchange experiences.
National Congress of Librarians
The Congress occurs annually and brings together librarians from Colombia. It takes place in Bogotá.
Library Location Resources
No information available
Contributors
- Library of the Bilbao district public school in Bogota / Biblioteca escolar del Colegio Bilbao IED (https://fundaciondonbosco.org/donde-estamos/bilbao-ied/)
- Colombian Association of Library Science-Ascolbi / Colegio Colombiano de Bibliotecologia – ASCOLBI (https://www.ascolbi.org/)
- National Library of Colombia / Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia (https://bibliotecanacional.gov.co/es-co)