The Libertador Forum is a building whose construction began in the 1980s to house the National Library. It was officially handed over at the beginning of the 21st century, but its spaces had already been occupied since 1989. The National Newspaper Library was the first to be moved there, having previously operated in the old Mucubají ice rink. Also, in the reading room area, cubicles were built for the Enrique Bernardo Núñez Bibliographic Research Unit, where I began working in 1991 as coordinator of music research, so I witnessed firsthand the completion and gradual occupation of its spaces. The last building to be handed over was the one that houses the General Archive of the Nation.
I know every nook and cranny of this enormous complex and I'm proud to have participated in the relocation of the Venezuelan Audiovisual Archive from the Rogi building in La Trinidad to level AP3 of building 2. I know its strengths, but also its weaknesses, starting with the choice of location: too close to the Catuche ravine and, therefore, susceptible to the effects of water. So much so, that Basement 4 was declared uninhabitable.
Despite this, this building houses the most important part of Venezuela's documentary heritage, consisting of the collections of the National Library, the General Archive of the Nation, the BN-National Film Archive and the audiovisual collection of the Center for Cultural Diversity.
Following the two earthquakes of June 24th, the building suffered significant damage to its upper structure. We trust in the prompt repair of these damages for the sake of our historical record.
