The Historic libraries

The Benincasa library is right at the centre of the historic centre of Ancona ( address: 30, Via Bernabei), close to the San Pietro Gate ( Arco di Carola), and Plebiscito Square, nor far from Piazza Roma.

It’s housed in the 16^th century house belonging to the Mengoni Ferretti noble family. The library of this family was opened to the public in 1669, as the marquis Luciano Benincasa bequeathed.

The Ferretti noble family had Umbrian origins, belonged to the mercantile and maritime  aristocracy and among its members noteworthy are Grazioso Benincasa and his son Andrea, who were both talented cartographers as well as rich shipowners . Luciano Benincasa  played important roles both in the town and within the Pontifical State and had broad cultural interests which led to the creation of a vast collection of books: 2,634 books about ecclesiastical law ,  history,  civilization and geography . At a later time the marquess Eleonora Vincenzi, who got married to Luciano Benincasa’s son , with the approval of Benedict the 14^th bequeathed it to the municipality together with a large sum of money for a yearly increase in the number of books ( 1749), furniture and two globes.

The original archives of the Benincasa library have never been found,  but a list dating back to 1822  is a precious document which  lists   about 13 types of books, most of which  about history,  religion,  law and medicine. This was the first core of the public library, which was then widened especially in the second half of the 19^th century, thanks to the renovated cultural life in Ancona.

Veritable jewels of the library, beside the original works, are Il Portolano by Grazioso Benincasa, a collection of notes about the harbours and coasts written for his  personal use ( 1435), a nautical chart by Andrea Benincasa (1490),the Beringhieri geography edited in 1480 by Niccolò Todesco,  two 17^th century globes by Greuter, an important musical collection by Nappi and a collection of the statutes of the main town of the Marche , which are very interesting for the study of ancient municipal law, the Levi collection with important books about economics and commercial law, the collection by Giorgio Terni including incunabula and important books about hebraism, the Albertini collection with rare editions of local history, the Mengoni- Ferretti collection, among which the 18^th century manuscripts by Tarquinio Pinaoro about the history and the noblemen from Ancona”.

Since 2008 a new collection of books written mainly for and by women  about themselves  published from the 70s can be browsed  on-line. It consists of about 600 books which have widened the heritage of books belonging not only to the province of Ancona  but also the National archives, as 20 of these books were not there.

The Gabrielli library is mainly focused on humanistic studies, it consists of about 200,000 books, 30,000 of which are very old documents which once belonged to the religious orders abolished after the unification of Italy. The oldest document is a 13^th century Benedictine code with  one of the first writings in Italian.

It was founded in 1849 when the lawyer Paolo Pedini bought the first books, then the collection was enriched with the archives and books of the abolished religious houses (1861-1866). The librarian Professor Giulio Gabrielli ( 1832- 1910), after whom the library is named, played the important role of  collecting, ordering and recording the 14 libraries of these religious orders.

25,000 further books were added to the original collection of 4,200 books, as well as manuscripts, codes, incunabula, rare editions that Gabrielli bought during his activity as a librarian.

267 manuscripts of former convents were printed after the 15^th century and are mainly about religious topics and philosophy and a good number of them are important documents about local history.

Gabrielli was also an art critic, an archeologist, he also ruled the town picture gallery and wrote some books about the history of Ascoli Piceno.

13,000 prints collected in about 4 years of study are now displayed at the picture gallery,whereas his collection of art books and a volume with images of the monuments of Ascoli Piceno, ancient buildings, picturesque towns, popular scenes and other important aspects of Ascoli Piceno are at the library.

Gifts by important people from Ascoli Piceno further enriched the library. Noteworthy is the Verrucci- Bay collection which was given as a gift by the architect Verrucci who worked and built important monuments in Egypt. His library includes works whose documents are no longer available in Egypt but who are fundamental for the knowledge of Islamic and Egyptian art.

The Valentiniana Library  was founded in Camerino in 1802 due to the bequest of a nobleman from Camerino, Sebastiano Valentini, who was also a poet and a local historian.

At that time the library consisted of about 8,000 books, all of which of great value and about the major branches of knowledge of that time. Between 1860 and 1861 it was abundantly enriched due to arrival of the works coming from the abolished libraries of religious orders. Only 8.315 of these books belonged to the San Carlo library, the other ones were mainly of Franciscan origin.

Therefore there are very rare books in the Valentiniana library due to the ancient libraries of Camerino, such as those of the convent of St. Domenico, of the Philippines, of the Carlotti Brothers and the passion of intelligent and capable clergymen. Unfortunately the important library of the Da Varano noble family is scattered in Rome, Urbino,Ferrara, Parma, Piacenza , due to the splitting up of the family in the first half of the 16^th century.

Most valuable are the approximately 1,000 books of Professor Bernardino Feliciangeli, a well- known scholar of the history of Camerino and the Da Varano noble family. The Library of Count Romano Romani, a lover of local art and history, conists of about 3,000 books, among which some precious 16^th century editions; the library of Marquis Venanzio Varano, a writer descending from the ancient noble family consists of about 1,500 books including books and pamphlets and, last but not least, the collection of the famous musician Filippo Marchetti.

At the moment the heritage of the library includes hundreds of manuscripts and incunabula, about 10,000 16^thcentury books, several tens of thousands of Italian and foreign books, books, mainly in the fields of science, dating back to the 17^th- 20^th centuries. Consequently this library is of particular interest for high- profile scientific researchers, especially those delving into literature, legislation, architecture, medicine, sacred sciences and science in general. Frequently foreign scholars contact the library. Noteworthy is also the collection of books regarding Camerino and the Marche in general, which is of particular interest for those who study the institutions and the cultural goods of Camerino during the centuries.

Manuscripts and codes are undoubtedly a very important collection of the library.

Due to the earthquake occurred in 2016 the library is closed.

In 1681 Abbot Federici joined the Congregation of the Philippines in the Oratory of St. Pietro in Valle. He brought his “libraria”, a valuable collection of books which he arranged at his own expense above the new oratory. Then, for about 40 years, he looked after the collection of the library. After his death, he left it to the fathers of the oratory and in his will he asked them to open it to the public and to enrich it thanks to an income deriving from his own land.

In 1861, when the Marche joined the Reign of Italy, religious orders were abolished for the second time. The municipality of Fano claimed the property of the library and it was looked after a keeper and two librarians: Luigi Masetti, the orientalist Michelangelo Lanci and the philologist Filippo Luigi Polidori. During the years the library came in possession of many books, such as the collections of other congregations, private grants, the donation of manuscripts, etc..

Renovation and strengthening works were carried out in the 20^th century, and during the Second world war the library had to protect the collections. In 1950 it housed an important exhibition dedicated to the cartographer Vincenzo Coronelli.

In modern times the library is housed in the former house of the priests of the Oratory of St. Filippo Neri, behind the church of San Pietro in Valle, a splendid example of Baroque religious architecture. When in 1678 Abbot Federici asked to retire in Fano with the Philippines, a new place had to be found for his collection. This led to the creation of the wooden shelves of the Room of the Globes which is still possible to visit. It was made by Maestro Vincenzo from Bologna, where two globes made in Venice by Vincenzo Coronelli in 1688 were added.

The library boasts a reading room with more than 115 subscribed magazines and a storage of thousands of them , more than 250,000 books, a cinema, some special funds and manuscripts. Since 2012 a digital library has been available online.

The Montanari audiovisual Library is housed in a building which was designed by Giuseppe Balducci. He recycled the materials coming from the demolished convent of St. Philippe which was in the same area. As typical of that time, he chose an eclectic style and the library was built between 1899 and 1903. At the beginning of the 20^th century it housed the primary school Rossi and when it was closed, it became an exhibition area.

The Montanari audiovisual library was opened on 10^th July 2010 after major renovation works. Great attention was paid in order to preserve and enhance the historic heritage of the building: the preservation of the previous school, the enhancement of the archaeological site and the opening of a new library. The large rooms and aisles of the school house the collections of the library. The room under the hall is used for conferences and as an information point for students and tourists interested in the archaeological tour of the Roman town of Fano.

In the underground room there are still some columns which formed the peristyle, without the surrounding ground and the porch in which they were enclosed. It’s also possible for visitors to see the foundations thanks to a walkable glass floor which makes it clear how large the temple was and how it was built.

The Montanari audiovisual library ( short -named Memo) provides general information and is complementary with Federiciana Library of Fano. It’s 1,600 square meters wide, all of which are open to the public and 200 square metres are specific for children.

Founded in 1688, Fermo's civic library was named after the doctor born in Fermo, Romolo Speziali, who worked in Rome in the court of the Swedish queen Christina, thanks to the intermediation of the Bishop Decio Azzolino, who was also born in Fermo. Then the doctor was also the personal doctor of the Bishop Ottoboni, who later became pope.

He bequeathed his prestigious collection of books, which was handed down by his famous protectors, to his native town.

Also other famous people from Fermo bequested their possessions to the library and the significant heritage of the suppressed religious orders in the 19^th century further increased the collection.

In Fermo’s Civic Library the Spezioli collection is the main historical part and due to its quality and quantity, it makes it one of the 20 top Italian libraries; therefore it’s one of the most important institutions in Italy.

The large number of works included in the Speziali collection documents the relationship existing between Fermo and Rome in the 17^th century. The five handwritten catalogs which arrived from Rome together with the books are important bibliographies not only of medicine in the 17^th and 18^th century but also about the cultural training of a doctor who lived in the 17^th century , who was also requested to know history, physics, ethics and metaphysics.

The Civic library preserves illuminated manuscripts, very rare editions, an incredibly vast graphic collection. As a whole the collections include about 3,000 manuscripts, 127 codices, 300,000 documents, among which 800 historical magazines, 5,000 drawings, 6,500 engravings, coins, seals, 681 incunabula, more than 15,000 16^th century editions, 23,000 mixed editions, a great deal of 17^th and 18^th century specimen and music pamphlets.

Some private donations, and particularly Romolo Spezioli’s one, are so specific that the oldest collection of the library is well known and widely used internationally for the very rare editions of medicine works.

In the library there are more than 6,000 prints and 4,000 drawings coming mainly from the collection of the architect Giovan Battista Carducci

At present the library is updating the modern collection, both in the bibliography and multimedia. Here you can find reference works, single monographs and a vast fiction section. A room is reserved for local collections.

The books about Africa, Salvadori, Sciences and Zavatti can be found at the Silvio Zavatti Ethnographic Polar Museum – Natural Science Museum "Tommaso Salvadori" at Villa Vitali in Fermo.

The original core of the Civic Library is the Globe Room which is in the Priori Building in Fermo. It’s named after the very precious handwritten globe dating back to 1713 made by Amanzio Moroncelli, an abbot and cartographer from Fabriano.

Worth mentioning is also the historical room, entirely equipped with walnut shelves, and provided with a two- storey walkway. It features an artistic ceiling made of fir and it preserves the most valuable part of the ancient collection of the library, which consists of about 16,000 volumes, mainly from the 16th century, mostly donated by Romolo Spezioli.

The Spezioli Library has a children's section, located on the first floor, which was opened in 1998. Soft cushions provide a comfortable seat. Young readers can choose and read poems, picture books, pop- up books, sound stories, nursery rhymes. There’s also a study room with encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, works of popularization, text books and fiction for youngsters, as well as a reading area for accompanying adults. Activities and workshops are organized in the afternoon.

The BUC machinery branch library ( BUC stands for library, university and conservatory) lies between the library and the G.B. Pergolesi conservatory and it connects the institutions of the town. It’s a multimedia library and here you can also find newspapers, magazines, CDs and VHS tapes.

In two small rooms you can listen to music and watch movies; four terminals located in the central halls provide Internet access to the public.

Many cultural events are held at the BUC: meeting with authors, book launches, guided listenings and workshops for schools.

On 19^th April 1784 Monsignor Benedetto Passionei bequeathed his library to Fossombrone in behalf of the young fond of studying.

He was born in Fossombrone in 1719, he became priest and studied law in Padua: he had several appointments in Rome and he was often in contact with scholars and cultivated people who went to his uncle’s court, Bishop Domenico Passionei.

The quantity and quality of the bequeathed books is uncertain as the original catalogue has been lost and the library underwent many wastes during the Republic in the last years of the 18^th century. It included books of all genres: Latin, Greek, French and Italian literature, archeology, history, geography, theology, moral and biblical doctrine, the study of Early Christian teachings, civil and church legislation and sciences.

His donation was completed by a good number of manuscripts belonging to his uncle which is particularly interesting for the civil and religious Italian and European history in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Among these works there are also letters and autograph writings by important people of that time. Monsignor Passionei shared the same passion for erudition and for the preservation of books and rare manuscripts as his uncle.

After his uncle’s death he long negotiated for the selling of the library and for the transfer of some manuscripts to the Vatican library. Nevertheless he succeeded in keeping some books marked by “P” ( Passionei”) which were the most part of them and also mainly precious, as well as other manuscripts: letters, rough drafts of diplomatic documents or drafts of erudite works. In 1776 the books sent from Rome to Fossombrone were about 6,000, many of which were elegant and valuable works, with French-fold and double Dutch fold binding. It was considered a prince’s gift in Fossombrone, not a simple priest’s gift.

Since 1895 the library ‘s seat has been the former convent of Franciscan friars. In 1944, due to the bomb attacks which struck the building and caused the loss of part of the bibliographical heritage the ancient section was moved to the Upper Court of Fossombrone whereas the modern section remained in the same building. In 1977 the whole collection of books was gathered in the new rooms of the library. At present the museum covers 550 square metres. The Reading and Study Room and the small room with the manuscripts can seat 35 people.

In 1907 Marquis Bernardo Pianetti gave his famous and rich library, whose origins date back to some centuries ago, to the municipality of Jesi.

That’s how his nephew Cardolo Maria Pianetti, who wanted to be admitted to the Academy of Almorò Albrizzi in Venice, introduced himself: “ a scientist in human, erudite, philosophical, mathematical studies, an expert in law.. he owns in Jesi a prestigious library which consists of rare books relating all sciences. It was inherited by his uncle Monsignor Giuseppe Pianetti, Bishop of Todi” ( 1708).

This collection of books, inherited under the condition that it would be destined to public use, reflects his uncles’ vast human and juridical knowledge. He was the actual book collector of the Pianetti family. In order to make the library public, which meanwhile was further enriched by two collections belonging to his wife Susanna Mannelli ( mainly books about Latin and Greek classical books and books about law, history, geography and travels) and to another uncle, Carlo Maria Bishop of Larino, who was Giuseppe’s brother, Cardolo Maria had in 1738 a unique manuscript catalogue drawn up, which was handwritten by the Franciscan Friars Minor of the Observance of the San Francesco Convent in Ancona.

The library consists of about 15,000 books, most of which date back to the 16^th and 17^th century and of famous editions printed in Venice, Rome, Padua, Paris, Lyon, Basel, Cologne, Frankfurt, London. There are also 16 incunabula, most part of which are about classical literature. Worth mentioning is the vast collection of gazettes written between 1655 and 1723 and a collection of 17^th and 18^th century almanacs.

This wide-ranging library was further increased in 1787 by other bequeathals by Bishop Gaspare Bernardo Pianetti, Bishop of Viterbo, which was later donated in 1905 to the municipality of Jesi by Bernardino Pianetti. Nowadays these assets and the Pianetti archives make up one of the most significant collections of documents in the Planettiana Library.

The seat of the municipal Planettiana Library is the impressive Palazzo della Signoria, a Renaissance palace built in Jesi by Francesco di Giorgio Martini, the famous Sienese architect, in Colocci Square, right at the center of the historical centre. This palace was built between 1486 and 1498. The tower was later partly rebuilt in 1661 due to the 1657 earthquake which destroyed it. It features a characteristic watch which is in the tower, whose machine was built brand new in 1939 by the watchmaker Edoardo Marconi from the Marche. The old time machine which was in the tower had been made I 1723 by a Venetian builder whose name was Antonius Molinarius, as an inscription in the frame machine documents.

At the second floor of the palace, in the room where the rare and valuable Pianetti library collection is located, you can also admire two wonderful globes dating back to the end of the 17^th century. Their circumference measures more than 3 metres and they were made by the Venetian cosmographerVincenzo Coronelli.

In Macerata, despite the presence of rich private collections which often denoted open- mindedness, in the 17^th century the collection of the mathematician Girolamo Marchetti, consisting of works by the Urbino School, of the scholar Marcantonio Amici, of the Compagnoni, of the bishop Mario Marefoschi, of the Lazzarini and Bonaccorsi families, was given much attention.

The first documented bequeathals of books date back to Napoleon’s suppression of religious houses. Therefore the municipality of Macerata decided to found a public library ( 1703) with the library collection of the suppressed Compagnia del Gesù, with the help of Bishop Compagnoni Marefoschi and the financial help of Pope Pious VI and Bishop Guglielmo Pallotta.

Then in 1779 other donations followed, i.e. the donation by the Rota judge Francesco Mornati and by Giuseppe and Bartolomeo Mozzi, after which the library was named together with the Dominican friar Pietro Borgetti who imitated the Mozzi brothers and gave his important library as well as his whole patrimony.

The not too wide library of the Mozzi brothers is an authentic jewel. At present it’s one of the greatest libraries in the Marche. It consists of about 350,000 books, more than 10,000 manuscripts, 300 incunabula and more than 4,000 editions dating back to the 16^th century .

It‘s also made up of music and theatre collections, a collection of the Risorgimento and a vast visual collection with more than 20,000 images documenting local history ( events, people, urban layout, monuments, traditions, works of art). All ancient collections are catalogued and accessible to all.

The library was made unique and decisively modern by Giuseppe Mozzi, as he was culturally open to the experiences of European enlightened people.

Giusepep Mozzi, born into a noble family and provided with family fortunes, studied in Bologna and Rome and he could deepen his scientific interests through several travels abroad. He bought instruments and books relating his interest for scientific research. Very fond of science, he shared the same ideals as French scholars whose main interest were sciences, techniques and thought reform.

Much part of the large science sector is specialized in medicine. In his collection there are the main authors of the new practical and experimental approach of modern medicine: William Harvey (Opera omnia, Londini, printed in 1776 and previous editions of single works), Tomas Sydenam (Opera universa, Londini, 1705), Simon André Tissot (Epistolae medicae practicae, Lausanne 1770), Hermann Boherave (all botanical medicine works and Elementa chemiae, Lugduni, Patav. 1732), Albrecht von Haller,the founder of modern physiology.

Despite his prevailing interest for medicine, he was also interested in other fields of knowledge. No sector is neglected, so his library is an example of organic collection as the Baconian method tought: natural sciences integrate into physical and mathematical sciences. He therefore also had a keen experimental interest.

Beside the Mozzi collection the library also comprises textbooks and documents of great local interest due to some bequethals of some families who adhering to local cultural traditions owned qualified and often top- quality collections.

For example, the copious letters of the historian Luigi Lanzi to Italian and foreign scholars: Amico Ricci’s personal library and relative reasoned catalogue which reflects his value as art historian, relentless researcher of art in the Marche, as well as a great book lover; the copious collection of manuscripts, music and theatre publications due to the donations of Giuseppe Natali (1879), Gian Battista Bruti Liberati (1868) and of other illustrious scholars in this topic. It’s probably one of the largest and most organic collection of this type in the Marche, after that belonging to the Rossini Conservatory in Pesaro.

During the 200 years of activity the library has progressively become larger, as it occupies new rooms and depots in the different floors of the building.

At the entrance from Piazza Vittorio Veneto you can see marvelous busts of Benedetto Cairoli, Ercole Rosa and Pope Gregorio XVI by Fedele Bianchini. Many coats of arms made of stone come from the ancient Fonte Maggiore. The sarcophagus with a wavy and undulating surface which is in the hall and the big Roman vase of Republican age which is at the entrance of the Castiglioni Room come from the archaeological collections of the local Civic Museum. In the Galleria Traversa (also called Mirror Room) Domenico Marzapani and Domenico Cervini created some grotesques in Raphael’s style and portraits of distinguished scientists and philosophers in Pompeian style. The ceilings divided into quarters are by the painter from Macerata Vincenzo Martini.

The Furnace in Moie is a 19th century building with elliptical shape which was operative until 1966 and then completely abandoned. Close to the furnace there’s a structure which was used for land farming and which could be used also for the installation of clay moulding machines. It’s a very large building, about 700 square metres inside and 9 metres high whose arcades face the pit. The complex also consists of a block of offices which is still in very good conditions and a farm house. The furnace, which was built in a flat surface in the outskirts of the town, is close to an area rich in gullies and it’s centrally located to the new housing development plan of Moie. Due to the opening of the library also the furnace and the adjoining building were renovated. These works guaranteed the original robustness and the respect of building features. All crumbling areas and materials were removed, re-usable materials were recycled and renovation works were carried out with materials similar to the existing ones.

The loft and the covering were made with a steel- made structure and the loft is made of wood for a better architectural harmony with the surrounding context. The retention walls were made with recycled bricks. The walls around the multipurpose room of the furnace were made with sound - absorbing panels with beech wood finish blades with the aim of ensuring an effective sound absorption, which is especially important in a library.

The Library holds approximately 30,000 indexed documents that are all placed on open shelves and sorted by topic. There are works of contemporary fiction (of Italian and foreign artists), non-fiction, general encyclopedias of specific topics, European and non-European languages, vocabularies, atlases, the local section with volumes about the Marche region and the municipality of Maiolati Spontini, books for children, youngsters and families and works and writings dedicated to Joyce Lussu, after whom the library was initially named.

With the aim of making available to the public a private collection as a source of information, Giovan Battista Corradi , a man of learning and prelate who was born in 1600 in Monsampolo del Tronto, built in behalf of the public a library in the Hospital of St. Alessio, which had been founded by him in his native town.

According to the description written by Clemens X in 1676 in his “Breve” (brief), which was issued in order to support this institution and which is preserved at the moment at the Civic Library of Monsampolo del Tronto, there were eight rooms, provided with furnishings and a library which they called Thomistic where studious people of any rank and social condition, i.e. rich and poor, secular and ecclesiastical, and especially people from Ascoli could study. The latter used to get there any time for intellectual relief.

Enrico Liburdi betrays him in his book “ About the founder of the Thomistic Library in Monsampolo and his incunabula” as a bright and brilliant man, a 17^th century scholar who spent his time writing texts of Latin history, classical and popular grammar and devotional books. Graduated in theology, he practiced medical sciences and worked for the sick. His scientific vocation and his compassionate nature led him to the opening of a hospital for the pilgrims heading towards the Holy House in Loreto and St. Michele al Gargano. The adjoining library holds medicine works and religious works, as they represented Corradi’s main interest.

He dedicated his library to St. Thomas d’Aquinas as the bibliographical repertoire of his library was mainly based on the thomistic andAristotelian philosophy. This cultural bias was elaborated and spread in Europe by the Jesuits in their “Ration Studiorum” and it was learnt by Corradi at the Roman Jesuit School, at first as a student then as a hardworking disciple.

The library consists of an ancient collection of about 1,300 volumes, among which 15th century incunabula and rare 16^th and 17^th century books which are mainly adorned with xylographic illustrations. These works are mainly about religion, medicine, astronomy, geography, history, literature, philosophy, music and rhetoric. There are some rare books of famous typographers which further enrich the value of the bibliographical works: from Paris Giovanni Petit, Nicola Bonaspes, Jadoco Bladio, Giovanni Prato and De Marnef; from Lyon Francesco Fradin, Stefano Guegnard, Giovanni Clein, Guglielmo Huyon, Giacomo Myt, Antonio de Ry, Giovanni Morghin, Dionisio Harsy, Benedetto Boumyn and Giovanni Crespino; from BasleBaldassare Lapi and Tommaso Piatti; from Cologne Eucherio Cerviconi, and, among Italians, Giunti, Grifi, Soncino, Manuzio, Arrivabene, Scoto, Gregori, Suardi, Rusconi, Bon, Bindoni, Stagnino and Sessa.

In the collection there are also prestigious editions of works by friar Girolamo Savonarola due to Corradi’s worshipping for the Dominican friar. Dominican friars strongly supported St. Thomas d’Aquinas thomist philosophy which was critized by the Scotists. The Thomist Library of Corradi makes it clear his adherence to the Dominican philosophical school. In his books Corradi wrote some notes in the front page of most of his books, he also often erased some parts of books whose content he disapproved of.

Since 1989 the whole collection has been catalogued and about 200 books among which incunabula and 16^th century works have been restored. A new modern collection of about 3,000 books is being indexed and therefore as a whole the collection has been widened.

Among the libraries of the high medieval period belonging to monasteries and bishops exclusively reserved for Franciscan monks’s use, the library of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Monteprandone is of great importance, not only for the quality but also for the variety of books. It was collected by San Giacomo della Marca (1393-1476) thanks to the support and help of enlightened protectors such as Nicolas V, cardinal Domenico Capranica and the Lords Montefeltro, Malatesta and Sforza.

San Giacomo della Marca was born in Monteprandone in 1393 and during his life he was a preacher and a diplomat. In his hometown, within the library of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie he gathered his codexes, indexed them and chose the ones which could be more useful for him and for his brother monks. All manuscripts date back to the 14^th and 15^th century, except for one dated 9^th- 10^th century. Sometimes they’re embellished by miniatures and decorations and another typical feature is their format, which is small, as they had to be studied and transported.

After his death the library continued to expand and consisted of 700- 800 books. Nevertheless, due to the lack of consideration and interest in taking back the borrowed books, many of them were stolen.

The surviving indexes were in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, in the chapel dedicated to the Saint, together with the corpses of St. Giacomo and St. Giovanni da Capestrano. They were inside a box placed in a sideboard whose keys were safeguarded by the father guardian and by the interim magistrate of Monteprandone.

At present the Civic museum and Library of San Giacomo della Marca in Monteprandone houses 61 codexes belonging to St. Giacomo and also his letter to St. Giovanni da Capestrano which was written in Rome on December 14^th1455.

The codexes are the main historical collection of books in the Civic Museum- Library of St. Giacomo della Marca in Monteprandone, and they can also be found in other libraries, such as the National library in Naples and the Franciscan and Picene library “San Giacomo della Marca” in Falconara Marittima.

Due to their good conditions and to the presence of historical notes and inventory, the library is one of the most important Franciscan collections of 15^th century books.

It consists mainly of five types of books: classical books, used for preaching and Latin lessons; the books about The Church Fathers, especially Jerome and Augustine; the largest section is made up of books by school writers most of whom were Franciscan; at last a group of books about law and grammar books.

In 1543 Duke Guidubaldo II Della Rovere and Vittoria Farnese laid down the foundation of the new church of St. John the Baptist in modern Via Passeri. The complex was built in the previous site of the houses owned by the Pianosi family, which were located on both sides of the public road and in Borgo Novo square. These dwellings were bought on purpose by the Duke and the community. The new church was planned in 1537 and it was built six years later by Girolamo Genga (1476-1551), although it was completed inside by his son Bartolomeo. Giorgio Vasari considered it, despite the unaccomplished façade, a nice church and thought that it was the most striking church in the surrounding area. The church, the nearby convent and the not too far palace built by Montani along the same road which was later owned by the Santinelli-Antaldi family and renovated in the 17^th century, marked the life of the road which due to its imposing buildings was called “San Francesco Road”. The temple, with a Latin cross- shaped single nave, an octagonal dome and nine altars, is a great and important work of art. The facade is very elegant, although it’s unaccomplished, and inside the church interesting paintings are preserved, among which the Nativity attributed to the Barocci painting school, the Stigmata’s chapel frescoed by Giuseppe Mazza from Bologna and the neoclassical sepulchre by Giulio Perticari. The church and the convent, provided with cloister and courtyard, became a State’s property in 1860 and they were used for military purposes; also the church became a storage of military assets on occasion of the First World War in 1915. Nevertheless the clergy succeeded in getting it back and after rearranging it, reopened it to the religious cult.

The convent of St. Giovanni houses the library of the same name which consists of a vast selection of books, magazines, CDs and films for adults and children, also in foreign languages. It covers 2,050 square metres, there are 55, 000 books, more than 4,500 music CDs and 3,795 DVD tapes; there are also 10 newspapers ( 4 of which are foreign), 94 periodicals ( 2 of which are foreign). In the library you can also find seats for the visual impaired, Internet access, wireless services, satellite televisions and a literary cafe, whose entrance is in Via Severini.

The library of Count Monaldo Leopardi (1776-1847) significantly documents how cultivated social classes from the Marche were much interested in antiques’ research and local history. This was a tradition of local studies which reached its peak at the end of the 18^th century thanks to the monumental work by the abbot Giuseppe Colucci “Picene antiquity”.

The library was opened by Monaldo Loepardi, the poet’s father, in 1812. At that time it was a very large library, as it consisted of 16,000 books stored in four rooms, divided into topics, except for the second rooms which was entirely dedicated to religious literature.

The collection of books includes several sections: the Fathers of the Church, dogmatic, critical but also Protestant theology.

Besides, it’s made up of Enlightened books, also from the 18^th century anti-philosophical point of view, and foreign literature of that time. These books were read by Giacomo Leopardi who therefore elaborated a vision of the world and of history which was opposite to his father’s views.

Most part of the library was bought by Count Monaldo at the fairs of Recanati and Senigallia and some travels to Rome on occasion of the suppression of religious orders and convents during and after the Roman Republic. Monaldo also bought many books written in Greek for his son Giacomo but mainly for his love for antiques. The profound collector’s love for books and also coins, medals, inscriptions and a vast knowledge of documents chosen by him is reflected also in his works of local history.

At the wall of the library hangs an inscription where Monaldo states his intention to open a library not only for himself but also for the people from Recanati. In fact, it was always open for cultivated men, and at present it continues to be open for visitors attracted by the museum and the books.

Casa Leopardi, Leopardi’s Palazzo, houses the library. It’s right opposite the square of the “Saturday evening in the village” and it’s exactly the same as it was at the time of the Count Monaldo. The four rooms of the library entirely occupy the first floor of the palazzo, which also consists of the Manuscript Room, the bedroom and the studio. The first room is characterized by a panelled ceiling; the second room, smaller than the other ones, has a fascinating hand-painted canvas ceiling with paintings in typical Pompeian style; the third and fourth room both have a rectangular shape and hold hundreds of books placed on enormous shelves.

The Public Library of Recanati was opened on 20th October 1959.

The establishment of municipal councils after the war was at the origin of the creation of the library, whose aim is to improve communities through literacy and learning and plays therefore a fundamental part in their emancipation.

At first the seat was in the Town Hall, then it was moved to Corso Persiani. In the early 21^st century it was widened and renovated.

The library is a useful service for citizens and students coming from Recanati and neighbouring towns. Many scholars ask to consult the private library once belonging to Father Clemente Benedettucci, which is considered one of the best ones in the Marche. It’s become part of the town library since 1964. It consists of 45,000 volumes, 25 incunabula, rare and unique prints and precious manuscripts.

A whole section of the library is about Recanati, Loreto, the Marche region and theology. Leopardi’s section has been moved to the National Centre of Leopardi Studies.

The public library of Senigallia is named after two illustrious members of the Antonelli family, Nicola and Leonardo.

Nicola Antonelli ( 1698-1767) served as a cardinal under Pope Clemens XII, he loved Eastern civilizations, mainly the Jewish and Chaldean ones, he wrote many works and built in Rome a remarkable library. In his testament he wanted to put it at the disposal of his fellow citizens in Senigallia after his nephew Leonardo’s death, who was also a cardinal and a cultured man.

Leonardo, who was specialized in the history of the canon law and Eastern culture, increased the number of books in his library and it was looked after by a cultivated librarian who described it this way: “It was divided into ten large shelves all books were with French flaps, or colourful, or covered with painted and golden stripes which protected them from dust”.

After Leonard’s death, which occurred in Senigallia in 1811, the vast library passed on to the municipality of Senigallia, also due to the family’s extinction. It became public only in 1825.

In the library most books are about religion, theology, church history and canon law. A good number of books is also about Classical philology. Of particular value is a group of works written in Eastern languages , as Cardinal Antonelli was the Secretary of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith and his nephew Cardinal Leonardo of the Congregation for the correction of Eastern books.

At present the seat of the Antonelliana Library is the Foro Annonario, a harmonious round- shaped Neoclassical building made of bricks which was designed by Pietro Ghinelli from Senigallia in 1834.

In the ‘ 60 the library consisted of about 35,000 books, then it became even larger due to the purchase of other books by the municipality and to other bequeathals. As a whole the library is made up of 80,000 documents, about 200 posters and letters which are particularly useful for a historic reconstruction of the La Fenice theatre.

The library of the hermitage Fonte Avellana is one of the oldest ones as it was founded in the year 980 together with the monastery itself, which also includes the crypt ( 10^th century), the church (12^th century), the sacristy ( 18^th century), the cloister ( 11^th century) and the scriptorium ( 12^th century).

It belongs to the Camaldulese monks of the Order of St. Benedict. Since Medieval times, close to the scriptorium where works were copied and written by the Holy Fathers, there’s always been a vast library which Saint Pier Damiani requested for the community of Avellana ( 11^th century), and which was later widened by Cardinal Bressanone, a commendatory abbot.

The historical and monastic library was built by Abbot Giacinto Boni in 1733. He was fond of sciences and literature. The books, divided into groups of topics, are placed in valuable walnut bookcases dating back to the 19^th century. It was deprived of its books twice, in 1811 and in 1816, due to Napoleon’s suppression. In 1933 it could regain all of its possessions.

In modern times it includes the oldest book heritage of Fonte Avellana, which consists of about 25,000 books, all of which were printed starting from the discovery of printing ( the oldest incunabulum dates back to 1470) until the end of the 19^th century. These books are prevailingly incunabula, about 1,000 16^th century books mainly about theology, human sciences and Early Chistian philosophy.

The oldest section of the library is not only a place where old books are preserved but also offers a venue for meetings and promotes culture.

The modern library is housed in a 11^th century room which was originally used as a guest house. It’s named after Dante Alighieri and it was first opened to the public in 1965, on the occasion of the seventh centenary of the birth of the poet, as in the 21^st Canto of the Paradise in the Divine Comedy, dialoguing with Saint Pier Damiani, he describes Fonte Avellana. Allegedly the poet stayed here around 1318, when he was exiled in nearby Gubbio.

It consists of about 7,000 books mainly about theology, literature, philosophy, history and Early Christian philosophy.

In the middle of the 17th century, due to the donations of Count Bernardino Ubaldini and Bishop Honorato degli Honorati, in Urbania the public library was rebuilt. The first one was built by the Dukes of Urbino and it was moved to Urbania by Francesco Maria della Rovere.

Only 400 volumes were left of the famous humanist library whose collection was started by Federico da Montefeltro in the 15^th century. After the annexation of the Duchy of Urbino to the Kingdom of Italy, Pope Alessandro III brought to Rome most part of the ancient library which is housed at the Vatican Library and the Alessandrina Library.

Nevertheless in Urbania a 17^th century manuscript is preserved which was written by a Friar Minor called Giuseppe Maria. It lists the books of the public library and all of them belonged to the Dukes of Urbino. There are also two globes by Gerardo Mercatone dated 1541 and 1551.

In the 18^th century the collection was widened by the Counts Matarozzi Brancaleoni and at Napoleon’s times by the collection of books belonging to the abolished religious Minor orders. Other important bequeathals followed in the 20^th century. In the library you can also find the Atlas by Zatta dated 1775 and the little Earth Globe attributed to Francesco de Mongenet.

The public library of Urbania boasts a good number of drawings, more than 700, coming from the Ubaldini collection.

At present the library holds about 50,000 volumes, 9,000 of which are ancient. Of great value are 36 incunabula, 1325 16^th century writings, 183 parchments, 141 manuscripts, some of which are about the history of the Duchy of Urbino. A section is dedicated to art history and the history of ceramics.

In the modern section of the library you can find books about classical and contemporary fiction, both Italian and foreign, and a room is entirely dedicated to the Marche and another one to art. Many books deal with psychology, law, sociology, history, religion, theatre etc. Wide sections are reserved for children and multi-ethnic culture.

Encyclopedias and atlases are available for consultation.

The public library also organizes several initiatives, such as the Metauro Literary Award, a National poetry award and the Metauro on-line Award, a on-line fiction award.

In Urbino, Pope Clemens XI belonged to the Albani family. Aiming at the promotion of education and learning among his fellow citizens and university students, he arranged the opening of a public library in the convent of St. Francis. The man he appointed for the gathering of books was Maria Lancisi, who was a scientist and a bibliophile. His name is associated with the Lancisiana Library in Rome, as he bequeathed his library to it.

Private and church collections were integrated in the library of Urbino: the collections of Cardinal San Vitali, of Marquis Corboli, of Monsignor Alessandro Fideli, Bishop of Jesi from 1696 to 1715 ( it included mainly books about civil and church law), the library of the Veterani noble family from Urbino ( an ancestor was a librarian at the court of Frederick II), the books belonging to the monks of St. Francesco in Urbino.

The Papal brief dated July 12, 1721 set forth the entirety of the collection as well as the clauses for the consultation of prohibited books.Later on, on 19^th May 1721, he underlined the pope’s original intention of opening the library to the public.

The Albani family owned the palazzo until the middle of the 19^th century, when it extincted. This event led to the splitting up of the collection of art works and the collection of books ( the vast library and the precious family archive).

In the last few years the library belongs exclusively to the University of Urbino.