Neuquén library restoration and Mexican Jesuit book exhibition showcase heritage preservation

In Neuquén, Argentina, the Biblioteca Manuel José Olascoaga is undergoing a comprehensive preservation project. The initiative, backed by Governor Rolando Figueroa and provincial authorities, aims to clean, catalog, and restore more than 26,000 volumes, including unique historical collections. Specialists will also develop an open‑source digital tool to record each book’s physical condition, creating a “clinical history” for long‑term conservation. The work is scheduled to finish by November, after which the restored collections will be accessible to researchers and the public.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s Museo Nacional del Virreinato has opened a temporary exhibition of its ancient Jesuit library holdings. Curated by researcher Miguel Ángel Romero Cora and supported by Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza, the display features 23 books dating from the 16th to 18th centuries, including a 1534 volume by Ricardo de San Víctor and early works by Fray Francisco de Osuna. The exhibition highlights the historical processes of censorship, restoration, and the role of librarians in the colonial era, making the previously specialized material publicly accessible.