Lourdes Martínez Gutiérrez, widow of Ignacio Larramendi, was the president of the Foundation from 2001 to 2015, the year she passed away. During this period, the work of the Foundation was maintained and further developed. The Polymath Virtual Library continued to grow and specific websites were also created for some of the scientific, philosophical and economic movements that have been shaping the history of Latin American thinking and whose account must be retrieved for the Spanish-Portuguese cultural area.

We can cite the virtual libraries of the Salamanca School; of Francisco Sánchez, el Escéptico (the Skeptic); of the Old School of Translators of Toledo and of the Ciencia y la Técnica en la Empresa Americana (Science and Technology in the American Company); she also left a very interesting one under preparation on Viajes Científicos Ilustrados (Illustrated Scientific Travels). She was always eager to give her support to each one and even in her final years, when her health had become very poorly, she never hesitated to make the effort required to attend the public acts organised by the Foundation.

In fact, the last time that she left the hospital, when her health had deteriorated significantly and just six days before she died, she did so on purpose to attend the presentation in the Casa de América of the Virtual Library of Science and Technology in the American Company, in which the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain participated. When the act was over, she returned to her hospital bed, where shortly afterwords her health took a final downturn.

Under her presidency, the Fundación Ignacio Larramendi also celebrated its 25th anniversary and the Montiano Family Archive was completed, which was selected as a case study by Europeana. The Polymath Virtual Library was also chosen as a case study by the W3C and an EDM case study by Europeana. Always with the company DIGIBÍS in charge of the IT and technical supports.

Lourdes Martínez Gutiérrez has left an indelible imprint on the Fundación Ignacio Larramendi and on DIGIBÍS. She never separated her personal, family, social or professional lives, as at all times what she shared with people was her own life.

Related links

— Special publication: Lourdes Martínez Gutiérrez. A life of service

— Active until the very end. Image gallery