Public Libraries National Network

The emancipation of a foundation project

Abstract

Exactly 20 years ago I was asked to build a program for the promotion of public reading in Portugal, which would be supported by a partnership between central and local administration, aiming to create and develop public libraries with all the modern requirements, then pioneering, in our subject. The technical and financial support, conceived as program-contracts – which only after, were generalised for other purposes – was taken as a model for several more recent networks of cultural equipments, as it was considered a success case at a national and international level.