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The Francisca Keller Library was founded 50 years ago, in 1968 and is part of the Graduate Program in Social Anthropology of the National Museum, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Before the recent fire that destroyed the Museum that housed it, the Library was considered to be one of the most important social sciences collections in Brazil and Latin America, housing some 37,000 invaluable texts.
A solidarity network involving professors, technicians, librarians, and students from UFRJ and other national and international institutions was created in September 2018 to rebuild the FKL after the fire. Since then, numerous actions have been taken. Books have been donated and shipped, furniture for the new library has been purchased, and blueprints have been drawn up for the new FKL. |
From the ruins to the Botanical Gardens in the Quinta da Boa Vista
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After the fire, a wave of solidarity swept the campus, the city, the country and crossed international borders. The day after the fire, students and colleagues came together to offer solidarity to employees, researchers and students of the Museum, but also to call for more resources to be dedicated towards education, science and technology and in favor of high quality public education. Following this wave of support, we received numerous offers and proposals for participation and involvement in the reconstruction of the Museum and its Anthropology Library.
With the support of government agencies and the Society of Friends of the National Museum (SAMN), we began to receive resources and donations for the reconstruction of the FKL. Throughout the upcoming year, work will be initiated on the Central Library building, which will house other academic and administrative sectors of the National Museum, the Postgraduate Program in Social Anthropology (PPGAS), and the FKL + 50. This building is located in the botanical gardens of the Quinta da Boa Vista, created by the French naturalist and landscape artist Auguste FM Glaziou in the 19th century. These gardens were annexed to the National Museum in 1896 and their surrounding area, known as the Horto Botânico, contains exuberant flora, rare botanical species, and environmental research and education facilities. The new FKL will give new uses to these built and landscaped spaces, integrating the surrounding environment with the Library’s equipment, books and professionals. With an area of approximately 193m2, the new FKL will house 58,000 books, 20 workstations, and furniture and equipment for manual and remote consultation. This will be distributed throughout the rooms, open spaces and gardens for the enjoyment of visitors and the entire community of the National Museum. |
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Future facilities of the FKL
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In December 2018, the FKL + 50 team began an important step for the reconstruction of FKL: the creation of a partnership to enable the development of an architectural project for its new facilities in the Horto Botânico, Quinta da Boa Vista.Developed by architect Marina Correia (professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism (FAU/UFRJ) and her students, the project proposes interventions in the architectural heritage and landscape that dialogue with the history of PPGAS/National Museum and its location in the Quinta da Boa Vista gardens. This project increases the size of the space dedicated to books, readers and the activities that will take place in the internal areas of the Central Library Building and the Horto Botânico.The landscaping project is being developed by FAU / UFRJ architect and professor Miriam Victoria Fernandez Lins, with the collaboration of professors from the Department of Botany.Get to know the first versions of our project, currently under preparation! |
