The Ana de Castro Municipal Library in Valdepeñas has celebrated its 75th anniversary, coinciding with Library Day. The event was held at the Cultural Centre La Confianza, where the Reader Gala took place, recognising the contributions of past directors and notable readers, including Irene Márquez and José Agustín Blanco for their cultural achievements.
During the gala, attendees included readers, professionals, and individuals connected to the library over the decades. The event acknowledged the leadership of those who have directed the library throughout its history, as well as some of its most active users. Vanessa Irla, the Deputy Mayor for Culture, participated in the celebration, emphasising the library's role as a space for access to literature and a cultural meeting point for generations of Valdepeñas residents.
Irla remarked, "These 75 years are linked to numerous shared experiences, literary meetings, children's activities, cultural proposals, and cinematic references, among other initiatives." She highlighted that a library's identity extends beyond its collection, shaped by the professionals who work there and the community that utilises it. Irla expressed her hope that the Ana de Castro Library continues to be a place of reference, learning, and coexistence, maintaining the loyalty of its readers and contributing to the cultural development of the town.
Library director Mari Francis Marqués congratulated the citizens of Valdepeñas on this milestone, underscoring the importance of remembering an institution that has evolved alongside society.
In addition to the recognitions for users, the library honoured Juan Bautista Ledesma Guerra as the most film-loving reader, Eloy Abad Arcos as the youngest, Juan José Lozano Arias as the oldest, Javier Sánchez Naharro as the most outstanding child reader, Pilar Magán Torres as the most active adult reader, and Adela Ruiz Ortega as the most loyal user. The celebration also paid tribute to the librarians who have contributed to the development of the Ana de Castro Municipal Library over its more than seven decades of existence, recognising Ángel Caminero López de Lerma, María Luisa Rincón Atienza, and Charo Guerrero Callejas for their dedication and work at the centre.
