Carlos Fiolhais will donate 40 thousand documents to the Library in Coimbra

Carlos Fiolhais will donate his library to the Municipality of Coimbra, which will be located in the old Pumping Station in Parque da Cidade.

The space at Águas de Coimbra (AC) will be prepared to house part of the vast estate of the former director of the General Library of the University of Coimbra (UC), comprising around 40 thousand documents.

The proposed protocol between the Municipality of Coimbra, AC and Carlos Fiolhais himself provides for the creation of the Carlos Fiolhais Library, as a hub of the Municipal Library, and will be debated at this Monday’s Chamber meeting.

The donation will be made in several phases and always with the supervision of Carlos Fiolhais, with the first delivery comprising three thousand documents.

Carlos Fiolhais, professor of Physics at the University of Coimbra and essayist, former director of the Physics Library at the University of Coimbra, former director of the UC General Library, founder and former director of the Rómulo-Centro Ciência Viva at the University of Coimbra and current coordinator of “Conversas Almedina” at Livraria Almedina-Estadio in Coimbra, intends to donate to the Municipality of Coimbra a significant part of his vast collection of books, periodicals and audio and audiovisual media, with a view to creating a new cultural facility where operate a library that can be enjoyed by my fellow citizens and those to come.

In this sense, as explained in the protocol proposal, “it is in the municipal interest to accept the donation under the conditions expressed by the donor and to develop the cultural and educational project associated with it”. In turn, AC considers that this project represents “the beginning of a new cycle that will contribute to promoting the relationship between scientific knowledge and society, valuing its contributions to people’s well-being in harmony with sustainability of the water resource, in particular, and the planet, in general”.

The proposal envisages that a protocol be signed between both entities and Carlos Fiolhais with a view to installing, in Dr. Manuel Braga Park, a cultural center with library service, called Coimbra Pumping Station – Carlos Fiolhais Library, also functioning as a center of the Municipal Library.

The universality of the assets donated to the Municipality of Coimbra – as referred to in the draft protocol – covers around 40 thousand documents (national and foreign literature, including poetry, art, comics, science and technology and essays), periodical publications, national and foreign languages, and audio and audiovisual media (digital discs with music, mainly classical and jazz music, films, fiction and documentaries, and computer programs).

The protocol establishes, among other aspects, the donation schedule. At the time of signing, around three thousand documents will be delivered, including books, periodical publications and audio and audiovisual media, so that the inventory work can begin, ensured by Águas de Coimbra, under the coordination of the Libraries and Historical Archive of the Chamber of Coimbra. As the inventory of donated goods is carried out, more documents will be delivered to the municipality. The remainder will be delivered after the death of the professor and represent books authored by him, manuscripts, notes, sketches, and others for personal use.

Águas de Coimbra and the municipality undertake to carry out the necessary works to open the library by April 1, 2025 and inaugurate the space by May 1, 2025. According to the protocol, in works and equipment it is expected an investment of 100 thousand euros (spread over 2024 and 2025) and, for programming, 20 thousand per year.

According to the proposal, Carlos Fiolhais will collaborate in the development of the cultural project, in boosting its activities, without any remuneration, in the organization of activities, privileging the connection between arts, sciences and technologies, through book presentations, organizing gatherings, debates, workshops and representations linked to books.