Decolonization, libraries and Latin America: notes for reflection

The object of the present paper is to reformulate the library in Latin America on the basis of the historical and cultural conditions of the region. From a philosophical and anthropological approach, this study proposes the decolonization of knowledge as a mechanism for transforming the existing epistemological model that privileges the Western knowledge while disadvantaging other non-Western epistemologies. The paper analyzes the implications of the European notion of reason, arguing that since colonial times this perspective has devaluated and marginalized traditional knowledge. The study also reflects on the discourse of knowledge management, asserting that the library is a social and democratic institution, where diverse forms of knowledge can coexist. As such, the library should promote the recovery of cultural values and manifestations of indigenous peoples. Finally, the study expands the vision of the Multicultural Library, formally recognized by IFLA and UNESCO in 2008, as an institution designed to integrate worldviews and practices of populations of diverse cultural features.