Biblioteca Franklin, Public library in San Juan, Argentina

Biblioteca Franklin is a public library in San Juan with extensive collections spread across multiple reading rooms and subject-focused sections. The building houses physical books, digital content, and databases that serve different learning needs.

Founded on 17 June 1866 at the initiative of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Biblioteca Franklin is considered the oldest popular library in South America. It operated under a founding decree of 4 May 1866 issued by Governor Camilo Rojo and received legal personality in 1899. In 2003 the board renovated the building, adding a microcinema and theatre space.

The library runs workshops in chess, tango, theatre, reading, yoga, French, singing and choir for different ages, alongside photography exhibitions, film screenings, talks and debates. Its name honours Benjamin Franklin, and a letter from Sarmiento to Segundino Navarro in the collection insists the original name be kept.

Visitors can read on-site or register to access physical and digital resources through an online platform offering ebooks, audiobooks, and research databases. It helps to check opening hours ahead of time, as they may shift seasonally.

Among the library's relics is a letter from Domingo Faustino Sarmiento to Segundino Navarro in which he insists that the institution keep its original name, Biblioteca Franklin. The document records the naming debate behind a library founded in 1866.