About the Tondela Library Network
The Network
We are the Library Network of the Municipality of Tondela, located in the district of Viseu, Portugal. This network is made up of several institutions with libraries, including schools, the municipal library, and other local organizations.
Here, you will find a variety of resources made available by our libraries, as well as news about ongoing activities, community events, and educational projects. You can also search our municipal catalogue to locate specific books or documents and see where they are available for consultation.
Mission
Our mission is to promote books, reading, and literacy by maximizing the resources and services offered by the libraries within the municipality of Tondela.
Vision
We aim to be a key contributor in developing better readers and more active, creative, and critical citizens who engage with culture and knowledge.
Our Partners
- Tondela Municipal Council
- Tondela Tomaz Ribeiro School Group
- Tondela Cândido Figueiredo School Group
- Tondela Professional School
- Training Centre of the Planalto Beirão Schools Association
A Brief History of the Network
Since 2006, Tondela has maintained a Library Network that spans the entire municipality. It was the first municipality in Portugal’s Central Region and the second nationwide to introduce a digital platform supporting its library system.
The investment began in 2001, leading to the opening of a new Municipal Library, seven primary school libraries, a new secondary school, and two educational centres by 2010. Later, in 2012, the reorganization of school clusters also redefined the libraries integrated into the network.
Today, the Tomaz Ribeiro Municipal Library continues to evolve, adapting to modern demands and the needs of new generations of readers, with expanded facilities and updated digital services.
Over the years, significant effort has gone into training teachers, assistants, and technical staff, improving library services across all spaces. The way people use, understand, and experience libraries has evolved dramatically.
The local government has invested in renovating library buildings, transforming them into open, multi-functional spaces, and in acquiring library management software and new collections, particularly books from the National Reading Plan for schools.
The Tondela Library Portal serves as a central hub, connecting the Tomaz Ribeiro Municipal Library with the other libraries in the network through collaborative projects and community activities. These initiatives involve the municipal council, two school clusters, a professional school, and a training centre.
Through this portal, users can access:
- The catalogue of all network libraries
- News and updates from participating institutions
- Technical and regulatory documents that guide library cooperation and resource sharing
- An online educational resource directory
Users can also make or renew requests online and stay informed about the various activities and cultural events organized by the network throughout the year, such as lectures, book launches, and reading fairs.
Historical Background
The first Public Library of Tondela was established in 1943, when the poet Branca de Gonta Colaço, daughter of Tomás Ribeiro, expressed her wish to create an institution that would preserve the artistic and literary heritage of her family. She envisioned a place that would be “a home open to all who seek to enrich their minds through books.”
A committee was formed to oversee the creation of this institution, which gradually expanded its collection through generous donations. Among the artistic pieces, the works gathered by Pedro de Figueiredo and sculptures by Ana de Gonta Colaço stand out.
The Tomaz Ribeiro Library-Museum adopted the old municipal coat of arms “Ao ton della” as its emblem, with an ex-libris designed by Pedro de Figueiredo and the motto “Mens agitat molem” (“The mind moves matter”).
Originally located in the building opposite the Town Hall - formerly home to the Civil Registry - it later moved to the Town Hall’s council chamber. In 1960, the Gulbenkian Mobile Library was established and coexisted with the Library-Museum in the same building. Two decades later, both were relocated to the Casa de Sant’Ana, remaining open to the public until the construction of the current Municipal Library building, inaugurated in September 2001 as part of a cooperation agreement between the Tondela Municipal Council and the Portuguese Institute for Books and Libraries.
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