Spaces of Healing, Resistance, and Transformation: The Public Library in Post-Accord Colombia

Public libraries in Colombia have become safe spaces of reconciliation and healing among populations that have experienced, and continue to experience, armed conflict and violence. Following the 2016 peace accord with FARC-EP, the National Library of Colombia, the Colombian minister of culture, and the high commissioner for peace presented the Mobile Public Libraries for Peace program, an initiative implemented in rural areas throughout Colombia. However, as governmental support waned and new conflicts arose, librarians and volunteers developed grassroots initiatives to sustain these libraries. These public libraries seek to foster peace, cooperation, and solidarity by uplifting the lives of those affected by decades of social inequality, structural violence, and armed conflict. This paper explores the historical and contemporary role of public libraries in Colombia as spaces for healing, resistance, and transformation, and presents how public libraries and librarians can contribute to alleviating the effects of violence through localized positive peace initiatives.