The Bolivian Collection

at the University of Pittsburgh Libraries



The Bolivian Collection is considered one of the most comprehensive in the world. The Collection consists of more than 10.000 volumes, 150 periodical titles, and 1.200 pamphlets.

Since 1967 the strong research activity about Bolivia in the University of Pittsburgh in several disciplines: -anthropology, archeology, political science, economics, literature, created the need for a comprehensive collection. The result is that Pittsburgh has been able to build up a coherent and comprehensive library collection that is used today by national and international scholars.

Highlights of the Collection

There are outstanding holdings on specific subjects such as: Wars of Independence (1809-1925), War of the Pacific (1879-1884), Chaco War (1932-1935), Bolivian Revolution (1952) and all the post-revolution governments, military and civil, to the present neo-liberal policies. Other topics comprehensively covered are: Boundaries problems, Indian cultures, languages and literature, historical sources, colonial and Republican. The Collection includes Ph.D. dissertations about Bolivia, and a complete collection of microfilms on: Records relating to internal affairs of Bolivia, records relating to political relations between the United States and Bolivia, and between Bolivia and other states; Diplomatic Despatches and Instructions; Notes from and to the Bolivian Legation; Consular Despatches; Official Gazette; National Development plans, and statistical material.

The library holdings of Bolivia were collected systematically and comprehensively through individual purchases, periodic buying trips, and an extensive exchange program with several Bolivian institutions. Two special collections were acquired: Antonio Paredes Candia collection of books on anthropology, folklore, and Indian cultures, and a collection of political and economic history from Luis Antezana Ergueta.

In 1985 the University of Pittsburgh Libraries received a Strengthening Research Library Resources Program grant for the purpose of cataloging and preserving on microfiche the Collection of Bolivian Pamphlets, all of which has been entered into OCLC.

The Bolivian Collection has been the main source of information for research studies and publications about Bolivia