I learned to read in Spanish in my early teens, and ever since then I’ve challenged myself to read books in my native language. Growing up, it was always hard to find books in Spanish, especially ones you were interested in reading. On our yearly trip to Mexico, we would visit local libraries to read books while visiting and go to bookstores in hopes of finding books to bring back to the US. On my last trip to Mexico, one of my goals was to bring back books in Spanish. To my surprise, my hometown didn’t have a single bookstore; sadly, all were closed during COVID. The community now relies on its public libraries and local museum to gain access to books.
Looking at international libraries in a different light after realizing that some rural towns in Mexico rely solely on libraries for books and related materials. In my home state of Jalisco, there are 282 public libraries (“Red Nacional De Bibliotcas – DGB – Secretaría De Cultura”). One of the most well-known libraries is the Juan José Arreola Library. This library was integrated into the University of Guadalajara in 1925; its main goal is to provide users with a space to engage with culture and knowledge, encouraging reading and research. After researching a few libraries in Mexico, one thing they all have in common is their mission to preserve the area’s history and culture through artifacts and documentation, which often cross into the museum realm.
The Juan José Arreola Library’s structure has two buildings connected by a bridge; one building houses a historical collection, and the other a contemporary collection. Their visual and sound archives house film, audiovisual, photographic, iconographic, sound, technological, bibliographic, and documentary collections. It comprises approximately 150,000 documentary items primarily related to the cinematic, musical, and iconographic culture of Mexico and Jalisco (Archivo Visual Y Sonoro (AVS) | Biblioteca Pública Del Estado De Jalisco, n.d.).
Given how many international libraries incorporate their cultures into creating spaces for people to engage, the Juan José Arreola Library has something special in its collections. They have what they call the Shanghai Window. Shanghai Window is a collection of books brought by a project called “China’s International Book”; it aims to raise awareness of Chinese culture and history in other countries. This library is the only institution in the entire country that safeguards this collection, forming part of the more than 55 countries that make up the “International Book of China” project (5.4 Ventana De Shangai | Biblioteca Pública Del Estado De Jalisco, n.d.).
The library centers on engaging with its community; it offers a variety of workshops, cultural and academic activities. Juan José Arreola Library is one of the top libraries to visit if you’re in Mexico. If you want to take a virtual trip, you can head over here!
“Red Nacioanal De Bibliotcas – DGB – Secretaría De Cultura.” Cultura.Gob.Mx, 2024, https://dgb.cultura.gob.mx/directorio/bibliotecas.php?op=1&id_estado=14&id_municipio=0&id_localidad=0. Accessed 1 July 2026.
“Archivo Visual Y Sonoro (AVS) | Biblioteca Pública Del Estado De Jalisco.” Bpej.Udg.Mx, 2016, https://bpej.udg.mx/index.php/acervo-historico/piso-5/archivo-visual-y-sonoro-avs. Accessed 3 July 2026.
“5.4 Ventana De Shangai | Biblioteca Pública Del Estado De Jalisco.” Bpej.Udg.Mx, 2025, https://bpej.udg.mx/index.php/acervo-contemporaneo/piso-5/54-ventana-de-shangai. Accessed 3 July 2026.
