International Librarianship
Italian Librarianship
Summer 2004
Instructor: Sergio Chaparro
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ITALY
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The issue of language
The Italian Nation and its history.
WWI-WWII
Currently:
(2000) 57 million—size: ¾ the size of California
GDP of 1.2 $ trillion
Big bureaucracy—substantial taxation/ Role in EU
Pre-1945
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Monasteries and convents
States division
Unification in 1861
The First public Library Plyny the Elder
Monasteries: Montecassino, Bobbio, Nonantola
Prosperous paper industry in Fabrino toward the end of 13th century---quality
paper!
German printers escaped to Italy from Mainz in 1462—to Venice, Rome, Foligno,
Trevi
Benedictine Abbey of Subiacco (1465—1480) 50 printing companies in Italy
Library of the Popes (Callistus III) 1455-1458
Venice: The most prestigious library of the Renaissance
Cardinal Bessarion—library promoter
1529—The first historian librarian was appointed—Venice-Saint Marks Square
17th Century, the great time of Italian libraries, prelates established libraries:
Ambrosiana Library, Angelica Library.
Cardinal Borromeo, another famous sponsor. Ambrosian Library in Milan, the
first with a Reading room on the first floor. Following the Library of The Escorial
built by Philip II in 1584.Example also for the Cardinal Mazarin Library in Paris
(1644), the Frederic William library in Berlin (1661) and the Leopold I in Vienna
(1663).
Felice Osio proposed the senate of the Republic of Venice to establish a library in
support of the University (1632).
18th 19th centuries—The Italian libraries depend a lot on the historical events
surrounding the states.
International Librarianship
Italian Librarianship
Summer 2004
Instructor: Sergio Chaparro
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1861—Unification of Italy/ 210 libraries, 46 not open to the public use, 33 were
governmental, 1000 communal, 71 belonged to scientific religious and private
institutions. Rome and Venice were not included.
1869!!! Do not forget this: Reorganization of Italian Libraries.
1869---New start with 13 national Libraries.
1870, Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, Biblioteca Nazionale
Vittorio Emanuelle II, located on the college of Jesuits.
1885 Libraries in Rome and Florence became National Central Libraries
Fascism: marginalization in the organization of libraries: To what extent does
political trends affect librarians, libraries and its collections?
Preservation of old works and manuscripts was given more importance.
1926—Division of Academies and Libraries within the Ministry of National
Education (more than 4, 000 institutions)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF POPULAR AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES, 1932,
“supervision” of “popular” libraries.----the echoes of intolerance.
WWII---Italy was heavily bombed. (Montecassino)
Post 1945
 Ministry of Cultural and Environmental resources 1975
 Regional governments taking over Public Libraries (remember the Spanish
case? Languages and Regions)
 Ministry of Public Education remained in charge of school and university
libraries ( How good is that?)
 Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale (National Bibliographic service) creation
of a national Bibliography initiated in 1980 central Institute of Unified
cataloguing…late?
 1986 Italian National Bibliography on CD-ROM
 Library Education: Special courses in universities at Padua, Rome, Pavia.
Degree necessary for admission and courses on paleography, archives,
codicology. More emphasis on collection preservation than on public
service. Attendance at a Library school is not a requirement for
employment ! Lack of a more systematic approach.
 Asociazione Italiana Biblioteche (AIB) (1930--, 3000 members in 1990
publishes the Notizie and Bolletino D’ Informazione.
 1990—AIB supported a bill that would authorize certification on four
professional categories: archeologist, art historian, archivist, librarian.
 Modern times: More interlibrary cooperation. Bureaucracy remains a
problem. Italian information industry is looking at Europe. Made in Italy
information.