Staff in the Hispanic Reading Room recommend collection items in all formats from and about these regions in collaboration with colleagues throughout the General and Special Collections. This work has resulted in millions of physical and digital items cared for and served in nearly every reading room at the Library of Congress. While some items are accessible to the public digitally, many require research at the Library of Congress. Staff in the Hispanic Reading Room work with professors, students, writers, educators, librarians, researchers and creatives worldwide to facilitate access to collection items and research services through instructive reference, bibliographic outreach, curated recordings, podcasts and collaborative projects.

The Hispanic Reading Room was the first of the Area Studies reading rooms at the Library, founded in 1939 as a center for the pursuit of studies in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American culture. The space is a creative tribute to Hispanic and Lusophone culture – with four tempera murals by Brazilian modernist Cândido Portinari, high vaulted ceilings, Talavera tiles from Puebla, Mexico, wood paneled alcoves, wrought iron accents, and nameplates celebrating select Luso-Hispanic literary greats. A steel canvas with a painted interpretation of Columbus’ coat of arms sits above the foundational stone dedicating this space as the Hispanic Foundation in the Library of Congress thanks in part to the vision of Archer M. Huntington, whose endowment continues to support the Hispanic Reading Room. This space welcomes the collaborative genius of researchers and creatives to engage with and share the Library’s collections in projects like the Handbook of Latin American Studies and the PALABRA Archive. Become a friend of the Hispanic Reading Room. (https://www.loc.gov/philanthropy/online-donation/fund select the Hispanic – Archer M. Huntington Society)

Featured Collections

The PALABRA ArchiveThe PALABRA Archive is a collection of original audio recordings of20th and 21st century Luso-Hispanic poets and writers reading fromtheir works. The majority of the recordings from this collection are inSpanish, English, and Portuguese, but the archive also includessessions in Catalan, Basque, French, Dutch, Creole, and indigenouslanguages like Náhuatl, Zapotec, Quechua, and Aymara.

Jay I. Kislak CollectionThis donated collection from Jay I. Kislak includes archaeologicalartifacts, rare books, manuscripts, maps and graphic works of art,which survey the earliest history of the lands that would become knownas the Americas. The collection is in English, with Spanish, Dutch,German, and indigenous languages such as Nahuatl, Ixil, K’iche(Quiché), and Q’eqchi’ (Kekchi).

Hans Peter Kraus Collection of Spanish American Documents, 1433 to 1877This collection of Spanish American Documents, 1433-1877 addresses thehistory of the Spanish colonies in the Americas, chiefly Mexico, butalso Peru, Guatemala, and New Granada (the present-day countries ofColombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela), and territories that becamepart of the United States, including California, Florida, and New Mexico.

Hispano Music and Culture of the Northern Rio Grande: The Juan B. Rael CollectionThis ethnographic field collection documents religious and secularmusic of Spanish-speaking residents of rural Northern New Mexico andSouthern Colorado. In addition to recordings, the collection includesmanuscript materials and publications offering insight into the richmusical heritage and cultural traditions of the region.

Posters: Spanish Civil War PostersThis collection of approximately 120 posters created during the Spanish Civil War reflect advertising for the Republican cause, but the Nationalists are also represented, and the posters feature the perspectives of the trade unions, Catalonian nationalists, and various international groups

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Featured Blog Posts

Rearranging: Redesigning a Reading Room and Creating New Electronic Spaces

“If These Walls Could Talk”: A Virtual Tour of the Hispanic Division’s Cândido Portinari Murals

Expanding the Borders of Art: Creative Collaborations with the MexiCali Biennial

Connecting Andean Voices and Heritages

Pelé, O Rei: Juggling Ambitions on Soccer’s Biggest Stage

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