Bologna University Library, Italy

The library started with two acts of generosity. Luigi Ferdinando Marsili (1658-1730), a noble of Bologna and General of the Empire, created in 1712 the Institute of Sciences and endowed it with his own scientific collections, his books, 900 oriental manuscripts and 120 manuscripts relating to his work. In 1742 this first core of the library was enlarged by the acquisition of manuscripts and printed texts as well as the collection of xylographic tablets and the water colours of the great Bolognese naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi. I In September of 1755 Pope Benedict XIV (Prospero Lambertini 1675-1758) donated to the Institute library about 25.000 printed volumes and 450 manuscripts. In the same year he ordered the typographers of Bologna to present the library with a copy of every printed work and, in the following year, 1756, he decreed that the library open its doors to the public. Women as well as men were allowed in.

The library itself is breath taking and well worth the considerable effort to tour it. The tour is free, but needs to be booked ahead, and the starting point is not marked. We set out ahead of time, made a number of wrong turns, but arrived on time--others were not so fortunate! The very coolest part is the hand written card catalog, which is in itself a work of art.