The books’ destruction in Valparaíso, 1973

Understanding the reports over the practices of elimination and destruction of dangerous books in the Valparaíso region during the 1973 military dictatorship in Chile, acquires potential impact, considering that studies on the practices of book destruction, editorial control and Library confiscation are almost nonexistent in national literature. The present study intends to contribute with its proposal to replicate research in other contexts, national and international, and expand the production of reports on the subject. The methodology used is of a qualitative type and emphasizes the understanding of memories as subjective processes anchored in experiences, in symbolic and material marks; in object of disputes, conflicts and struggles. As information production techniques, document analysis and qualitative interviews were used. The results of the research were produced through qualitative content analysis, generating analytical and emerging categories that allowed describing the practices of book destruction and the context of realization.