If the plans of the Municipality of La Orotava, in the last quarter of 2022 the specific characteristics of a building that will house “a modern archive and other dependencies” will be known. A very ambitious project that Linares acknowledged will have to start running “in the next term.” The archive currently occupies «the old garages of what was the agricultural cooperative of La Fasta building he shares with the Canarian Orotava Foundation for the History of Science (Fundoro). But when the archive has its new headquarters, the current one will become a Fundoro assembly hall”, advanced the mayor.
Linares wanted to highlight yesterday the success that it meant for the conservation of the history of La Orotava the commitment to acquire the current property “for 81 million of the old pesetas” and the hiring of the four workers who are currently in charge of the Municipal file. “Nothing usual in municipalities of our characteristics,” she stressed.
The councilor responsible for the Municipal Archive, Delia Escobar (CC)explained that the Villero archive has “2,513 linear meters of documentation spread over 18,340 boxes”, more than two and a half kilometers that store a good part of the history of La Orotava from the mid-nineteenth century to the twenty-first century. A total of 2,230 audiovisual documents, 4,703 administrative books, 78,991 photographs, 6,165 posters and 2,574 programs and cultural and festive brochures. A documentary collection that does not stop growing due to the activity of the council and donations from individuals. In 2021 alone, 2,931 new documents were added.
It is also a living entity that provides advice and services to historians and citizens. Escobar recalled that last year they processed «763 requests for informationof which 52% were made through the internet, 18% by telephone, 11% in person and 2% through social networks».
The mayor explained that the archive staff works continuously on the digitization of the funds, which has made it possible to already have “7,206 digitized files, as well as all the minutes of the plenary sessions up to the year 1999. In 2021 alone, 2,730 new documents were digitized.
Linares insisted on encouraging the residents of La Orotava to share with the Municipal Archive the photographs and historical documents that are in their possession, “so that they at least allow us to scan them and guarantee their conservation for the future.” The presentation of this report concluded with an impromptu tribute from the mayor to Peter Hernandez Louisfile worker who he retires next june, of which he highlighted his dedication and good work for almost three decades: «He has given his life for this archive and will be a man of the archive all his life. He is a student of the history of our people, a photographer with a collection like few villeros have and he has been able to capture the history of our town, our streets and our houses on his cameras. He has been a model employee, an example of dedication, loyalty and camaraderie».
78,991 photos
The La Orotava Archive currently has 78,991 photos and asks people who have old images to scan them to ensure their conservation.
2,574 event programs
Among the funds that the AMLO treasures, the 2,574 programs of festive and cultural events celebrated in La Orotava from the end of the 19th century to the present stand out.
7,206 digitized files
The AMLO already has 7,206 digitized files, which can be consulted remotely, as well as all the minutes of the plenary sessions until 1999.
