The Municipal Library of Alcobaça is a public facility in the cultural sphere, designed to be a gateway to knowledge, information, education and leisure. Incorporated in 1971, the Municipal Library of Alcobaça is part, since 1992, of the National Public Reading Network, coordinated by the Ministry of Culture.
The Municipal Library was located in the southern wing of the Monastery of Alcobaça between 1972 and 2000, lately transferred to a pavillion, Mercoalcobaça, where it worked until late 2001. The restoration of the old “Food Factory”, on 23rd November 2001, originated the current building of the Municipal Library of Alcobaça, located on the historic town center and at the confluence of the rivers Alcoa and Baça.
Its mission is to facilitate and promote the access of citizens in general and the residents in particular to information, various documentary media, education, culture, leisure and new communication technologies in order to educate citizen readers, fully participating and integrated into society.
The Municipal Library of Alcobaça regards necessarily the principles defined by the UNESCO Manifesto for Public Libraries, and the guidelines underlying the National Public Reading Network promoted by the Ministry of Culture.
