Barcelona City Council continues to work on maintaining, renewing and improving municipal libraries, the service which rates second highest among members of the public after the fire service. The measures planned between now and the end of the year are:

The Biblioteca Gabriel García Márquez, in Sant Martí, will be closed from 29 July to 17 August for the installation of structural supports and the construction of a new umbracle. The work will continue until the middle of October, transforming the outdoor space into a functional area for exhibitions and events.

The Biblioteca Xavier Benguerel, in the Vila Olímpica neighbourhood, will get a complete renovation in the autumn. Inaugurated in 1995, the library needs improvements to its facilities, accessibility and furniture. The renovation will add more space and give prominence to the children and teenagers’ literature and documentation service. The work should be completed in December 2025.

The Biblioteca Ignasi Iglésias – Can Fabra, in Sant Andreu, will be closed from the end of September to November for improvements to air-conditioning. The Biblioteca Guinardó – Mercè Rodoreda, in Horta – Guinardó, will be closed in the autumn for the renovation of electrical facilities and air-conditioning etc.

The Biblioteca El Carmel – Juan Marsé will be turning part of its children’s area into a STEAM innovation classroom, with services unaffected by the work. The Biblioteca Jaume Fuster, in Gràcia, will get renewed sanitation facilities, new IT equipment and new audio-visual equipment in the function room. There will also be improvements at the Biblioteca Vallcarca i els Penitents – M. Antonieta Cot, without the library closing to the public.

Renovation work continues at the Biblioteca Sant Antoni – Joan Oliver and is due to be completed in the first quarter of 2025. The project includes improvements to electrical facilities, lighting and air-conditioning, as well as new furniture.

As for the digital transformation, IT equipment will be renewed at 17 libraries and the self-loan service implemented at a further nine, with RFID technology to facilitate the loan of books and other items.