Library and newspaper archive

Automated Catalog of the Sociedad Bilbaina

The library was established at the same time as the Sociedad itself, as stated in Article 1 of the first statutes drafted in 1839, which reads: “The Society aims for reading and recreation.” Initially a "Reading Room" or "Reading Salon," it gradually gained importance and became the germ of what would develop into the Library and Newspaper Archive.

The growing importance of the Library from the outset is evidenced by the fact that as early as 1846, seven years after the Society was founded, the General Assembly decided to create a "Catalog of the books that make up the Library." Today, the automated catalog, initiated in 1992, is the fundamental tool for accessing the Society's library collection, providing bibliographic records and locations in sections for more than 40,000 works.

Among the library's collection, the significant antique holdings are noteworthy, including notable works from the 15th to the 19th centuries, covering a wide range of topics such as art, science, history, cartography, literature, and more. There is also a prominent Basque Section, inaugurated in 1955, which includes the most outstanding publications on Basque topics.

The library's periodical collection comprises more than 700 titles, of which 120 belong to the Basque Section, approximately 380 to the National Section, and nearly 200 to the Foreign Section. This impressive collection of magazines and newspapers reflects the great interest and value that the members of La Bilbaina have placed on culture and information since the early days of the Society.

Today, the library and newspaper archive of the Sociedad Bilbaína holds a significant cultural legacy, achieved through the interests and perseverance of its members over the 185 years of the Society’s existence. It can be said that its collections are among the most distinguished of similar clubs in Europe.