Puerto Rico National Library

The Puerto Rico National Library is a research institution in San Juan holding more than 70,000 items in its collections. Its materials include books, periodicals, newspapers, audiovisual resources, and manuscripts dedicated to documenting Puerto Rico and Caribbean topics.

The library began in 1967 as the General Library of Puerto Rico before receiving national library status years later. This upgrade reflected growing recognition of the need to preserve and promote Puerto Rico's cultural memory.

The Eugenio Maria de Hostos Room displays original letters, personal desk, and published works of this influential Puerto Rican thinker. Visitors can see how this intellectual shaped ideas about education and social reform in the island.

The building sits in central San Juan and welcomes visitors on weekdays with free access to research materials. Plan your visit during business hours and bring identification if you need to use restricted collections.

The collections include specialized holdings such as the Antiguo Casino Collection and the Dr. Concha Meléndez Collection. These separate sections preserve rare materials and documents that would be difficult to find elsewhere in the Caribbean region.

Location: Puerto Rico

Inception: 1967

Website: https://icp.pr.gov/bnpr

GPS coordinates: 18.46371,-66.09219

Latest update: December 9, 2025 12:25