{{short description|Library of the Macao Public Library system, in São Lázaro, Macau}} {{Infobox Chinese|pic=Old Macau Central Library (2008).jpg|t=澳門中央圖書館|s=澳门中央图书馆|j=ou3 mun4*2 zung1 joeng1 tou4 syu1 gun2|p=Àomén Zhōngyāng Túshūguǎn|por=Biblioteca Central de Macau}} The '''Macao Central Library'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Branch Libraries {{!}} Macao Public Library |url=https://www.library.gov.mo/en/branch-libraries/central-library}}</ref> ({{zh|first=t|t=澳門中央圖書館}}; {{langx|pt|'''Biblioteca Central de Macau'''}}) is a library of the Macao Public Library system, in São Lázaro (Saint Lazarus Parish), Macau.<ref name="library.gov.mo 2022">{{Cite web |title=Macao Central Library |url=https://www.library.gov.mo/en/branch-libraries/public-library/macao/central-library |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=Macao Public Library}}</ref>

==History== On 28 September 1895,<ref name="ICMpage">{{Cite web |date=2015-09-25 |title=Macao Central Library Celebrated its 120th Anniversary |url=https://www.icm.gov.mo/en/News/detail/12818 |access-date=2018-11-24 |website=Cultural Affairs Bureau}}</ref> the National Library of Macau, initially a part of the Liceu de Macau, the Lusophone high school of Portuguese Macau, was first established in St. Augustine's Church.<ref name="library.gov.mo 2022" /> The Portuguese government had announced two years earlier that it wished to establish a library facility in Macau.<ref name=ICMpage/>

The Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that initially "the Library existed in name only and was often relocated" since there were scant resources;<ref name=ICMpage/> in 1917 the library was transferred to the St. Joseph's Seminary, and it subsequently moved to the Hotel Bela Vista and the Shelter for the Disabled at Tap Seac.<ref name="library.gov.mo 2022"/>

In 1929 the library moved again,<ref name="library.gov.mo 2022"/> to two rooms,<ref name=ICMpage/> inside the IACM Building, then known as the Leal Senado Building. It moved to its Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida site in 1983.<ref name="library.gov.mo 2022"/> It received its current name in 1994,<ref name=ICMpage/> and that site received an interior renovation in the beginning part of 2007.<ref name="library.gov.mo 2022"/> That year, the Macau government announced that a replacement facility would be built.<ref name="BarbosaDenies">{{Cite news |last=Barbosa |first=Paulo |date=2018-11-23 |title=Marreiros denies plagiarism claims |work=Macau Daily Times |url=https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/new-central-library-marreiros-denies-plagiarism-claims.html |access-date=2018-11-24}}</ref>

In 2018 the company MAA Marreiros Architectural Atelier Limited, owned by Carlos Marreiros, won the government contract to build the new central library,<ref name="Marreirosfirmwins">{{Cite news |date=2018-11-19 |title=Carlos Marreiros firm wins design bid for Central Library |work=Macau Daily Times |url=https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/carlos-marreiros-firm-wins-design-bid-for-central-library.html |access-date=2018-11-23}}</ref> which was to be built at the old 1951 courthouse. The estimated cost would be 18.68 million patacas.<ref name=MarDianadonewlib/> Several publications accused Marreiros of copying the design of the auditorium of Leon, Spain. Marreiros denied the accusation.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Santos Filipe, João |date=2018-11-22 |title=Carlos Marreiros nega ter copiado edifício no projecto da futura biblioteca |work=Hoje Macau |url=https://hojemacau.com.mo/2018/11/22/carlos-marreiros-nega-ter-copiado-edificio-no-projecto-da-futura-biblioteca/ |access-date=2018-11-23 |language=pt}}</ref>

In 2020 the plan to convert the old courthouse into the new central library was reported to be abandoned.<ref name="Moura 2020-08-26">{{Cite news |last=Moura |first=Nelson |date=2020-08-26 |title=New Central Library project at Old Court Building abandoned |language=en |work=Macau Business |url=https://www.macaubusiness.com/new-central-library-project-at-old-court-building-abandoned/ |access-date=2022-07-18}}</ref><ref name="Fernandes and Arede 2020-08-27">{{Cite news |last=Fernandes |first=Salomé |last2=Arede |first2=Pedro |date=2020-08-27 |title=Governo recua nos locais da Biblioteca Central e Campus de Justiça |language=pt |work=Hoje Macau |url=https://hojemacau.com.mo/2020/08/27/governo-recua-nos-locais-da-biblioteca-central-e-campus-de-justica/ |access-date=2022-07-18}}</ref> Instead, the site of the new central library is planned to be the former Hotel Estoril at Tap Seac Square.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Marques |first=Renato |date=2020-09-11 |title=Central Library project back to old Hotel Estoril |language=en |work=Macau Daily Times |url=https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/central-library-project-back-to-old-hotel-estoril.html |access-date=2022-07-18}}</ref> In 2021 it was announced that the Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo would be designing the new library.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Marques |first=Renato |date=2021-03-09 |title=Dutch architects win design, IC bids to keep project within budget |language=en |work=Macau Daily Times |url=https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/macao-central-library-dutch-architects-win-design-ic-bids-to-keep-project-within-budget.html |access-date=2022-07-18}}</ref>

==Facility== The {{convert|1371|sqm|sqft|adj=on}}, two storey facility is located on Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida. It has about 92,606 volumes and seating for 271 patrons.<ref name="library.gov.mo 2022"/>

A new eleven storey central library was scheduled to be built on the block at the intersection of Avenida da Praia Grande and Rua Central, which would replace the former Judicial Police head office and hang over the existing 1951 courthouse, which was to be preserved.<ref name="MarDianadonewlib">{{Cite news |last=Mar |first=Diana do |date=2018-11-19 |title=Projecto do ateliê de Carlos Marreiros vence concurso |language=pt |work=Hoje Macau |url=https://hojemacau.com.mo/2018/11/19/biblioteca-central-projecto-do-atelie-de-carlos-marreiros-vence-concurso/ |access-date=2018-11-23}}</ref> The planned building was to have a seating capacity for 1,120 patrons in the primary reading areas and 800 patrons in exhibition and meeting areas, theatre areas, and other supplementary portions.<ref name=Marreirosfirmwins/> However, it was reported in 2020 that the plan to convert the old courthouse into the new central library was abandoned.<ref name="Moura 2020-08-26" /><ref name="Fernandes and Arede 2020-08-27" />

==See also== * List of libraries in China

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons}} * [https://www.library.gov.mo/en/branch-libraries/public-library/macao/central-library Macao Central Library] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200807/http://www.library.gov.mo/en/new-library New library project]

{{Authority control}} {{São Lázaro}} {{Public libraries of China}} {{Asia topic|prefix=National Library of | title=National libraries of Asia}} {{coord|22.19868772663515|113.54730582246437|display=inline, title}}

Category:Libraries in Macau Category:Libraries established in 1895 Category:São Lázaro