Loading cart contents...
Libraries and the Beato
Lisbon is a city made of stories — some already written, others still waiting to be told. Among its streets and squares, there are places where words meet: libraries. More than shelves filled with books, they are open houses for curiosity, connection, and sharing.
Throughout life, reading plays different roles:
- In childhood, it sparks imagination and builds the first bridges to the world.
- In youth, it opens horizons, sharpens critical thinking, and equips us for the future.
- In adulthood, it offers refuge, learning, and balance.
- In later years, it keeps the mind active, fights loneliness, and preserves memories.
Where are Lisbon’s libraries?
According to the Lisbon Libraries Network (BLX), the city has 17 municipal libraries. But their distribution is uneven:
- With a library: Alvalade, Marvila, Olivais, Benfica, Lumiar, Arroios, Areeiro, Alcântara, Belém, among others.
- Without a municipal library: Beato, Santo António, Santa Maria Maior, Misericórdia, Campolide, Ajuda.
For residents in these areas, visiting a library often means travelling to another neighbourhood — a bigger challenge for children, older people, or anyone with limited mobility.
When a library is missing
The absence of a reading and cultural space means:
- Less free access to books, internet, and educational resources.
- Fewer opportunities for cultural and literacy activities.
- Less encouragement to read during the key years when habits are formed.
- Greater cultural inequality between neighbourhoods.
Income and reading: a revealing ratio
Data shows that parishes with higher median incomes tend to have more readers per thousand inhabitants. But this is not destiny: active libraries and reading programmes can reverse the trend, even in lower-income areas.
The case of Beato
In Beato, the numbers speak for themselves:
- Median income: around €12,000 (2022)
- Reader rate: 154.6 per thousand inhabitants (below the city average)
- Municipal library: none
Here, reading often means leaving the neighbourhood — and that distance can turn a potential habit into a rare occasion.
What could change
- Create a local library branch or bring a mobile library bus to central spots.
- Connect schools, associations, and residents through intergenerational reading clubs and community book fairs.
- Integrate a library into hybrid spaces: cultural centres, markets, coworking hubs.
- Invest in digital reading programmes: lending e-books and tablets.
Other cities show it’s possible:
- Helsinki turns libraries into multifunctional community hubs.
- Medellín built library-parks in peripheral areas, combining reading, leisure, and training.
- Barcelona maintains a dense network of neighbourhood libraries with year-round cultural programming.
More than books
A library in Beato would be more than a building. It would be a place where people meet, where children discover worlds, and where older residents share memories. It would be a driver of cohesion, pride, and future.
Investing in libraries is investing in people — and Lisbon thrives when all its neighbourhoods have pages to write.
Disclaimer: Based on data from INE, CML/BLX, and own analysis. The number of libraries and readers may vary with official updates. The interpretation of income/reading ratios is indicative and does not replace in-depth academic studies.
Beato Residents and Entrepreneurs Association (AMEBEATO) AMEBEATO represents, promotes, and defends the interests of residents and entrepreneurs in the parish, contributing to its socioeconomic, sporting, environmental, and cultural development. Our areas of intervention are dynamic and diverse, reflecting the needs of our members — residents, friends, and businesses — and ensuring effective, close services.
Join us in transforming Beato into a space that unites connection, sustainability, and culture. If you believe in this mission and want to help make it possible, consider making a donation. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us create more opportunities, strengthen the community, and bring new projects to life. Donations – AMEBEATO
#BeatoReadsMore #WeWantALibrary #RightToRead #CultureIsARight #FutureWithBooks #AMEBEATO #LISBON