Silvia Castrillón Zapata has made major theoretical contributions to school and children’s libraries in Latin America. Her vast experience has made her an important figure on the Colombian library scene and one of the country’s most outstanding ambassadors. She was born in Medellin on 5 December 1942 and studied at the Medellin Women’s Education Centre in 1960. She has a degree in Library Science from the Inter-American School of Library Science, University of Antioquia (Medellin, Colombia), graduating in 1963. She studied Education and Documentation at the Institut National des Techniques de la Documentation (Paris, 1972-1973) and studied Education in Neuchatel (Switzerland) and Madrid (Spain).