In central Barcelona, at the Sant Jordi festival, the appearance of renowned Scottish writer Ali Smith at city hall drew attention not only for her remarks about the power of books, but also because of a large-scale protest staged by city library workers. While calls to protect culture echoed in the hall, on Sant Jaume Square library employees demanded change and voiced dissatisfaction with their working conditions.
Ali Smith, invited as the festival’s main guest, spoke openly about the importance of libraries for society. According to her, books and libraries have such power that they provoke anger from authoritarian leaders. She emphasized that attacks on libraries are attacks on freedom and access to the truth, and that libraries themselves remain a source of collective strength and imagination. In her speech, she mentioned Simone de Beauvoir, Virginia Woolf, Javier Marías, and Irene Solà, as well as the novel “Canto jo i la muntanya balla,” which has been translated into dozens of languages.
Protests and Restrictions
While the ceremony was underway inside, some library workers who managed to enter raised signs criticizing the city authorities and demanding the resignation of those responsible for culture. Most colleagues stayed outside: according to one participant, Blanca Brea, about fifty workers could not attend the event because their reserved tickets had been canceled. The protestors also called for the resignation of the head of the Consorcio de Bibliotecas de Barcelona, Ferran Burguillos, and the city council member for culture, Xavier Marcè.
Dialogue and Support
After the official part, Ali Smith spoke with translator Dolors Udina, highlighting the importance of translators’ work in spreading literature across different languages. At the end of the meeting, the writer went out to meet the protesters and took photos with them, expressing support for their demands. According to RUSSPAIN, similar actions by library workers are held annually in Barcelona, but this time the authorities restricted staff access to the official event.
Context and significance
The situation around the libraries of Barcelona reflects a broader conflict between cultural workers and city authorities. In recent years, debates over funding and working conditions in the cultural sector have intensified in the city. Similar conflicts have previously drawn public attention, as was the case with mediation used to resolve municipal disputes—more about this can be found in the article on the actions of the Barcelona municipal ombudsman.
