In August, an intriguing Instagram account, @tlacuilobiblioteca, caught my attention, challenging my preconceived notions about the scope of lending libraries. This account, identifying itself as a public lending library, was showcasing a diverse collection of Spanish and English titles available for loan in daily posts.
Lending libraries are not particularly widespread in Mexico, making this discovery all the more captivating. Intrigued, I sent a direct message to reserve a copy of Clarice Lispector’s visual biography – a popular choice, as I soon learned. Arranging a pickup time with the librarian, the process seemed straightforward yet shrouded in mystery. What kind of library was this? My curiosity led me to the studio and home of Pedro Reyes, a renowned Mexican contemporary artist and sculptor with international acclaim.
Arriving to collect my borrowed book, I found myself in front of a striking concrete structure, characterized by playful curves and porthole windows. Nestled between traditional Spanish colonial buildings in one of Mexico City’s oldest southern neighborhoods, the architecture itself was a statement. A stone worker in dusty overalls ushered me inside, where I was greeted by Carolina Peralta, the librarian and Instagram account manager, who descended a spiral concrete staircase. We walked through a patio and into the heart of the home – a double-height, open-plan living room which housed Reyes’ personal library. Thousands of meticulously organized books lined the shelves, intersected by unconventional concrete staircases and entrances that seamlessly connected the house and the adjacent studio. This design allowed Reyes to access his books from any point within his labyrinthine studio home.
Reyes explained that the library project began as a way to share his extensive collection with friends and followers, stemming from his deep passion for libraries and used bookstores. “When I travel,” he shared, “instead of typical sightseeing, I seek out a good library. It’s where I want to be, exploring materials I’m interested in and might not yet have in my own collection.” This personal exploration evolved into an experiment that redefines our understanding of a library beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar concept.
As the project gained momentum, Carolina Peralta, with her background as a writer and digital strategist and a personal passion for libraries, joined full-time through a mutual connection. Reyes and Peralta now collaborate daily, brainstorming engaging hashtag themes to promote the daily selection of books offered to borrowers. These themes, reminiscent of traditional library subject headings, range from the serious “Turbocapitalism Thursday” to the whimsical “Mimes Are People Too.” The eclectic book selection, recently featuring titles like Georges Perec’s A Species of Spaces and Other Pieces and Paul Davies’ How to Build a Time Machine, offers a glimpse into their imaginative curation process and mirrors Reyes’ artistic approach, blending humor and irreverence with social commentary and experimentation.
Part of the library’s appeal lies in the unique internet cachet of borrowing a book from the private collection of one of Mexico City’s most celebrated living artists. Historically, the earliest libraries served as repositories for precious and unique manuscripts. In fact, tlacuilo translates to “scribe” in Nahuatl, the indigenous Aztec language of Central Mexico. Reyes chose “scribe library” as the name to evoke the long history of knowledge creation and preservation in the Americas.
In colonial America, as printed books became more accessible and desirable, subscription libraries, like Benjamin Franklin’s Library Company in Philadelphia, emerged, particularly in areas where book access was limited. These subscription models were a way for communities of (typically white, male) book enthusiasts to pool resources. The neighborhood lending library, a more commonplace institution cherished by many, is a more recent development, gaining widespread popularity in the late 19th century, largely due to the philanthropic efforts of Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie’s extensive library project was inspired by his own early access to books through private and subscription libraries, which significantly impacted his life as a working-class boy. Believing in the transformative power of books, Carnegie aimed to empower the poor and working class by providing them with access to knowledge.
Reyes describes his project as rooted in the principle of “mi cosa es tu cosa” (my thing is your thing), a playful adaptation of the common phrase “mi casa es tu casa” (my house is your house). He views libraries as embodying “total anarchy,” institutions historically separate from traditional value-added production chains. This inherent freedom, according to Reyes, underscores the need to concentrate resources into an online ecosystem of “mi cosa es tu cosa.”
While subscription and “public-private” libraries often operate within formal frameworks, @tlacuilobiblioteca intentionally avoids formality. Traditional libraries typically require registration, membership cards, and personal information. In contrast, Reyes’ Instagram library requires only an Instagram handle as your credential. The allure is amplified by the exclusivity of borrowing from a prominent Mexico City artist’s personal library. Regarding potential book loss or theft, Reyes expresses less concern, citing “internet shaming as a very powerful phenomenon” – a decidedly modern approach to late or lost book fines.
During my visit, Reyes and Peralta had just returned from a meeting with Mexico City municipal librarians working in local public libraries. At this meeting, Reyes presented his vision for incorporating more private libraries into the public lending library system. Reyes argues that overly rigid classifications and definitions of libraries risk their relevance in a rapidly evolving social and technological landscape, where ideas about ownership and sharing are constantly shifting. Tlacuilobiblioteca serves as a compelling example of how libraries can adapt and thrive by embracing innovation and community engagement in the digital age, all while adding a unique cultural dimension to the Mexico City Library scene.
