![Sample our Information Science journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5940/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Communication-Studies.jpg"})
Abstract
All over the world local governments are investing in urban planning projects aimed at revitalising neighbourhoods and creating new city centres. Public library buildings are often central to these projects as attractive magnets for the larger public. In recent years, Italy too has committed itself to such initiatives. However, rather than building brand new establishments, the local authorities prefer to renovate and adapt historical buildings to library functions. While small and medium-sized cities are proactive in this process, big cities and metropolitan areas lag behind and, even when they succeed in approving a project, they have a lot of difficulty in carrying them out. In this essay, three examples of libraries recently opened to the public are described from the organisational point of view: the Sala Borsa Library in Bologna, the San Giovanni Library in Pesaro and the San Giorgio Library in Pistoia. The BEIC (Biblioteca Europea di Informazione e Cultura = European Library of Information and Culture) project will also be outlined. The essay intends to show that these libraries are consistent with international library trends regarding mission and organisation of services and collections; however, in Italy, administrative and political constraints often raise hard to overcome obstacles, particularly in big cities.
Notes
1 For a deeper insight into the public library building and planning topic, some latest handbooks and studies are cited in the final reference section. For previous contribution on the same issue, see: CitationDahlgren, Anders (1995). Planning Library Buildings: a Selected Bibliography. Chicago, American Library Association.
2 For more information about the library consult: <http://www.comune.genova.it/portal/template/viewTemplate?templateId=xplf69nc71_layout_u0rznmnm91.psml>.
3 For more information about the library consult: <http://www.bibliotecasalaborsa.it/home.php>.
4 For more information about the library consult: <http://www.bibliotecadelleoblate.it/index.html>. A dossier regarding the library has been published in CitationBiblioteche oggi (2008).
5 For more information about the library consult: <http://www.comune.torino.it/cultura/biblioteche/nbcc/>.
6 For more information about the project consult: <http://www.beic.it/>.
7 It could be useful to watch some videos created by users and visitors to the library which can be consulted on Youtube, searching “Biblioteca Sala Borsa”. In particular, the following video gives an idea of the building: Bologna, Buon 2008 in biblioteca, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YYPJDEycWc>.
8 To have an idea of the library location in the city plan, go to Google Maps: <http://maps.google.it/maps?f=q&hl=it&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=Piazza+Nettuno,+3+Bologna&sll=49.280012,-123.114143&sspn=0.010345,0.020084&ie=UTF8&z=16&om=1>.
9 It is worth mentioning that the original library project was designed for a wider surface area, including the internal square. Then the local authorities changed their mind and the library obtained a smaller part of the building, despite the controversies which followed this decision. Therefore, the librarians had to adapt the original plan to the new situation, giving up some of the most attractive spaces inside the building. Many concerns were then raised about the results of this initiative. Luckily, its great success has partly stopped the debates. Over the last years the library has carried out a re-organisation of its spaces and services, as the retail shops which had been housed on the ground floor and on the mezzanine of the internal square have moved away. In June 2008 the library definitely expanded into these spaces which were initially intended for it and opened with a new look. The library management exploited this opportunity to partially rethink the collection and service organisation using the feedback information collected over the last years. It will be interesting to consider the results of this new change in library life.
10 For more information about the library consult: <http://www.bibcom.trento.it/>.
11 For more information about the library consult: <www.comune.pesaro.ps.it/biblioteca/>.
12 To have an idea on the library location in the city plan, go to Google Maps: <http://maps.google.it/maps?f=q&hl=it&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=Via+Passeri,+102+Pesaro&sll=49.280012,-123.114143&sspn=0.010345,0.020084&ie=UTF8&ll=43.909395,12.909923&spn=0.011424,0.020084&z=16&om=1>.
13 For more information about the library consult: <http://www.comune.pistoia.it/sangiorgio/index.html>. To have an idea on the library location in the city plan, go to Tuttocittà online: <http://www.tuttocitta.it/tcolnew/index_tcol.html#sez=1015&com=Pistoia%20(PT)&ind=Via%20Sandro%20Pertini&nc=&qs=&vcc=&dts=&dte=&tms=&tme=&hm=&sdv=Pistoia&scl=64140&std=C&scm=Pistoia&ssg=PT&srg=Toscana&z=0.6&x=10.91132&y=43.93025&cv=1&pv=1&noc=6&lx=10.90806&ly=43.92729&be=0&mmve=1&ft=0>.
14 For more information regarding the architect consult: <http://www.pca-int.com/>.
15 For more information regarding the architectural studio whom Peter Wilson belong to, consult: <http://www.bolles-wilson.com/flash/>.