National Library of Peru marks 205 years amid history of wartime looting

The National Library of Peru (BNP) recently marked its 205th anniversary, reflecting on its historical legacy and the significant loss of collections during the War of the Pacific. During the Chilean occupation of Lima, thousands of volumes were removed from the library.

Historians distinguish between disorganized looting and a planned 'spoliation' involving the organized extraction of specific publications. While some books were returned following the conflict and in subsequent years such as 2007 and 2017, the exact number of lost items remains uncertain. At the time of the conflict in 1880, the library held approximately 56,000 documents, making it one of the most important collections in South America.