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113-686: Adjacent to this library is the Biblioteca Moreniana; although attached to one another, these libraries have a different history. They are also two separate entities from an administrative point of view, as the Moreniana is under the aegis of the Florence City Council. Index The Biblioteca Riccardiana is housed on the back side of what was originally the Palazzo Medici (later and still today known as Palazzo Medici-Riccardi ). The palace

226-497: A special library or academic library, for example. Libraries may also be community hubs, where programmes are made available and people engage in lifelong learning. Modern libraries extend their services beyond the physical walls of the building by providing material accessible by electronic means, including from home via the Internet. The services that libraries offer are variously described as library services, information services, or

339-682: A Bolognese copy of the Divine Comedy – decorated with miniatures – consisting of the first two books, i.e., Hell and Purgatory ( Paradise is preserved at the Biblioteca Braidense in Milan instead) with Jacopo della Lana's commentary; MS Ricc. 1035 (for which see the brief description below) and MS Ricc. 1040, a fifteenth-century exemplar whose first page features a famous portrait of Dante , showing those physical traits that tradition has always ascribed to him. In addition to manuscripts ,

452-422: A carrying-case full of books. They were, and are, also marketed as "extensible bookcases". To help retain the books when being carried, a barrister's bookcase has glazed doors. As the shelves must still separate, the usual hinged doors opening sideways cannot be used; instead there is an "up and over" mechanism on each shelf, like an overhead door. The better quality cases use a metal scissor mechanism inside

565-671: A large library, the card catalogue often filled a large room. The emergence of desktop computers and the Internet , however, has led to the adoption of electronic catalogue databases (often referred to as "webcats" or as online public access catalogues , OPACs), which allow users to search the library's holdings from any location with Internet access. This style of catalogue maintenance is compatible with new types of libraries, such as digital libraries and distributed libraries , as well as older libraries that have been retrofitted . Large libraries may be scattered within multiple buildings across

678-538: A larger facility. Lamba (2019) reinforced this idea by observing that "today's libraries have become increasingly multi-disciplinary, collaborative and networked" and that applying Web 2.0 tools to libraries would "not only connect the users with their community and enhance communication but will also help the librarians to promote their library's activities, services, and products to target both their actual and potential users". Academic libraries are generally located on college and university campuses and primarily serve

791-484: A love of books. One of the most popular programs offered in public libraries are summer reading programs for children, families, and adults. Another popular reading program for children is PAWS TO READ or similar programs where children can read to certified therapy dogs. Since animals are a calming influence and there is no judgment, children learn confidence and a love of reading. Many states have these types of programs: parents need simply ask their librarian to see if it

904-763: A national library, putting less emphasis on the repository character. The first national libraries had their origins in the royal collections of the sovereign or some other supreme body of the state. Many national libraries cooperate within the National Libraries Section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) to discuss their common tasks, define and promote common standards, and carry out projects helping them to fulfill their duties. The national libraries of Europe participate in The European Library which

1017-867: A parent organization and may serve only members of that organization. Examples of research libraries include the British Library , the Bodleian Library at Oxford University and the New York Public Library Main Branch on 42nd Street in Manhattan, State Public Scientific Technological Library of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science . Digital libraries are libraries that house digital resources, such as text, photographs, and audio. These are curated by digital librarians. In

1130-436: A public body such as a government, an institution (such as a school or museum), a corporation, or a private individual. In addition to providing materials, libraries also provide the services of librarians who are trained experts in finding, selecting, circulating and organising information while interpreting information needs and navigating and analysing large amounts of information with a variety of resources. The area of study

1243-498: A reference library, which does not lend its holdings, or a lending library, which does lend all or some of its holdings. Some extremely large or traditional research libraries are entirely reference in this sense, lending none of their materials; most academic research libraries, at least in the US and the UK, now lend books, but not periodicals or other materials. Many research libraries are attached to

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1356-430: A separate room or area for children. They are an educational agency seeking to acquaint the young with the world's literature and to cultivate a love for reading. Their work supplements that of the public schools. Services commonly provided by public libraries may include storytelling sessions for infants, toddlers, preschool children, or after-school programs, all with an intention of developing early literacy skills and

1469-533: A slab of choice marble at the top. In 1876, John Danner of Canton, Ohio , invented a revolving bookcase with a patented "pivot and post" design. The ingenuity of his work resided in the economy of space it provided. Thirty-two volumes of the American Cyclopedia could be stored in a compact space, and readily available for perusal at the touch of a finger. Danner's bookcase appeared in the 1894 Montgomery Ward catalog. In 1878 he exhibited his bookcases at

1582-635: A sort of “private museum” bringing together the various family collections that had hitherto been preserved in the family house on Via Gualfonda (in the building that is now 4 Via Valfonda in Florence ). Those collections consisted of medallions, bronzes, gems, cameos, ivories, and works of goldsmithery as well as the library that Francesco's great-uncle Riccardo Romolo (1558–1612) had started putting together. The works commissioned by Francesco went on for about thirty years; they were temporarily stopped around 1670 (to purchase some adjacent apartments necessary to enlarge

1695-500: A staff member. Ways in which a library's content is displayed or accessed may have an impact on use. An antiquated or clumsy search system, or staff unwilling or not properly trained to engage their patrons, will limit a library's usefulness. In the public libraries of the United States, beginning in the 19th century, these problems drove the emergence of the library instruction movement, which advocated library user education. One of

1808-424: A town, each having multiple floors, with multiple rooms housing their resources across a series of shelves called bays . Once a user has located a resource within the catalogue, they must then use navigational guidance to retrieve the resource physically, a process that may be assisted through signage, maps, GPS systems, or RFID tagging. Finland has the highest number of registered book borrowers per capita in

1921-435: A true barrister's bookcase must be portable with a heavy load of books. The more robust examples have folding handles at the ends of each shelf. Modern "decorator" copies of these may look the same, but are often too lightly constructed to be carried whilst loaded, or may even be simply a single fixed case like a normal bookcase, but with separate doors to each shelf to give the appearance of a barrister's bookcase. Similar to

2034-405: A university. Some items at reference libraries may be historical and even unique. Many lending libraries contain a "reference section", which holds books, such as dictionaries, which are common reference books, and are therefore not lent out. Such reference sections may be referred to as "reading rooms" or "study rooms", which may also include newspapers and periodicals. An example of a reading room

2147-481: Is a service of the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL). A public library provides services to the general public. If the library is part of a countywide library system, citizens with an active library card from around that county can use the library branches associated with the library system. A library can serve only their city, however, if they are not a member of the county public library system. Much of

2260-847: Is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or digital (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location, a virtual space, or both. A library's collection normally includes printed materials which may be borrowed, and usually also includes a reference section of publications which may only be utilized inside the premises. Resources such as commercial releases of films, television programmes, other video recordings, radio, music and audio recordings may be available in many formats. These include DVDs , Blu-rays , CDs , cassettes , or other applicable formats such as microform . They may also provide access to information, music or other content held on bibliographic databases . Libraries can vary widely in size and may be organised and maintained by

2373-530: Is also known as a bookshelf , bookstand , cupboard and bookrack . In a library, large bookshelves are called "stacks." Revolving bookcases, known as zhuanlunzang ( Chinese : 轉輪藏 ; pinyin : zhuàn lún zàng ), have been documented in imperial China , and its invention is credited to Fu Xi in 544. Descriptions of revolving bookcases have been found in 8th- and 9th-century Chinese texts. Revolving bookcases were popularized in Buddhist monasteries during

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2486-470: Is an attempt to make the library a more user-driven institution. Despite the importance ascribed to public libraries, their budgets are often cut by legislatures. In some cases, funding has dwindled so much that libraries have been forced to cut their hours and release employees. A reference library does not lend books and other items; instead, they can only be read at the library itself. Typically, such libraries are used for research purposes, for example at

2599-476: Is available at their local library. A national or state library serves as a national repository of information, and has the right of legal deposit , which is a legal requirement that publishers in the country need to deposit a copy of each publication with the library. Unlike a public library, a national library rarely allows citizens to borrow books. Often, their collections include numerous rare, valuable, or significant works. There are wider definitions of

2712-435: Is known as library and information science . Library buildings often provide quiet areas for studying, as well as common areas for group study and collaboration, and may provide public facilities for access to their electronic resources, such as computers and access to the Internet . The library's clientele and general services offered vary depending on its type: users of a public library have different needs from those of

2825-799: Is most often an academic or national library , but a large special library may have a research library within its special field, and a very few of the largest public libraries also serve as research libraries. A large university library may be considered a research library; and in North America, such libraries may belong to the Association of Research Libraries . In the United Kingdom, they may be members of Research Libraries UK (RLUK) . Particularly important collections in England may be designated by Arts Council England . A research library can be either

2938-410: Is no documentation that Thomas Jefferson actually designed them himself, but the amount of detail that went into their construction suggests that they were his idea. There are no surviving original book boxes, but officials at Monticello were able to recreate six of these bookcases in 1959. This was achieved through experts compiling all written evidence of the book boxes as well as taking measurements of

3051-497: Is not lent out. Travelling libraries, such as the early horseback libraries of eastern Kentucky and bookmobiles , are generally of the lending type. Modern libraries are often a mixture of both, containing a general collection for circulation, and a reference collection which is restricted to the library premises. Also, increasingly, digital collections enable broader access to material that may not circulate in print, and enables libraries to expand their collections even without building

3164-454: Is not practical to have available as hard copies. Furthermore, most libraries collaborate with other libraries in exchange of books. Specific course-related resources are usually provided by the library, such as copies of textbooks and article readings held on 'reserve' (meaning that they are loaned out only on a short-term basis, usually a matter of hours). Some academic libraries provide resources not usually associated with libraries, such as

3277-458: Is now the director's office, which he dedicated to the Muses and Minerva . Allusions to classical culture can also be seen in the ceiling corners, whose four painted cameos hint at ancient works in semiprecious stones with portraits of famous philosophers and poets such as Cicero , Virgil , Homer , and Plato . The imposing bookshelves covering the walls on both levels of the director's office and

3390-471: Is particularly attractive to younger library users. Digitization of books, particularly those that are out-of-print , in projects such as Google Books provides resources for library and other online users. Due to their holdings of valuable material, some libraries are important partners for search engines such as Google in realizing the potential of such projects and have received reciprocal benefits in cases where they have negotiated effectively. As

3503-416: Is possible then to visit only two bookcase sides at a time, all the others being pressed close together. A gearing mechanism allows users to move the bookcases and open the aisle in the desired location. Because of the danger of tripping on the floor-mounted rails or being crushed between bookcases, these systems may have electronic sensors and/or recessed track, or may be reserved for closed stacks where access

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3616-450: Is restricted. A barrister requires the use of many law books and would formerly travel on circuit with a judge's court. A specialised form of portable bookcase was developed to meet their needs. It consists of several separate shelf units that may be stacked together to form a cabinet. An additional plinth and hood complete the piece. When moving chambers, each shelf is carried separately without needing to remove its contents, and becomes

3729-653: Is the Hazel H. Ransom Reading Room at the Harry Ransom Center of the University of Texas at Austin , which maintains the papers of literary agent Audrey Wood . A research library is a collection of materials on one or more subjects. A research library supports scholarly or scientific research and will generally include primary as well as secondary sources ; it will maintain permanent collections and attempt to provide access to all necessary materials. A research library

3842-644: Is the collection of theatrical texts, which features charming stage sketches, including some that were specially made for the Grand Duke Ferdinand III (MS Ricc. 2444), script notes for actors, comedy plots and other such extremely rare materials that help us shed light on staging techniques, theater production, and a number of related matters. The Dante section of the Biblioteca Riccardiana is also conspicuous, including such manuscripts as Ricc. 1005 (also known as “Riccardiano Braidense ”), that is,

3955-452: The Accademia della Crusca , admired man of letters and tutor to Francesco). The fresco in the hall depicts the various stages in human life and its consequences (either rewards or punishments); the scenes represent human beings engaged in diverse activities, the personifications of the four seasons, and mythological figures against a natural background. The theme in the library's vault instead is

4068-668: The British Museum where the shelves are covered with cowhide ; or steel , as in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. ; or of slate , as in the Fitzwilliam Library at Cambridge . There are three common ways of arranging stationary bookcases: flat against the wall; in stacks or ranges parallel to each other with merely enough space between to allow for the passage of a librarian; or in bays or alcoves, where cases jut out into

4181-680: The Internet in a number of ways, from creating its own library website to making the contents of its catalogues searchable online . Some specialised search engines such as Google Scholar offer a way to facilitate searching for academic resources such as journal articles and research papers. The Online Computer Library Center allows anyone to search the world's largest repository of library records through its WorldCat online database. Websites such as LibraryThing and Amazon provide abstracts, reviews, and recommendations of books. Libraries provide computers and Internet access to allow people to search for information online. Online information access

4294-413: The Internet . Public and institutional collections and services may be intended for use by people who choose not to—or cannot afford to—purchase an extensive collection themselves, who need material no individual can reasonably be expected to have, or who require professional assistance with their research. Services offered by a library are variously described as library services, information services, or

4407-507: The Medici , Francesco di Cosimo (1648–1719) decided to invest the formidable sum of 115,000 “scudi” to restore, enlarge, and decorate the palace that his family had just bought. That led first to a complete change in the Riccardi's life and eventually to their financial collapse. Marquis Francesco decided to readapt some rooms on the back side of the palace (on what is today Via de’ Ginori) to create

4520-619: The Song dynasty under the reign of Emperor Taizu , who ordered the mass printing of the Buddhist Tripiṭaka scriptures. An illustration of a revolving bookcase is depicted in Li Jie's architectural treatise the Yingzao Fashi . Private libraries appeared during the late Roman republic: Seneca inveighed against libraries fitted out for show by illiterate owners who scarcely read their titles in

4633-401: The education of librarians and allied staff include accessibility of the collection, acquisition of materials, arrangement and finding tools, the book trade, the influence of the physical properties of the different writing materials, language distribution, role in education, rates of literacy, budgets, staffing, libraries for specially targeted audiences, architectural merit, patterns of usage,

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4746-451: The 1920s to the 1970s. Among the most remarkable works are fourteen nineteenth-century tablets in a Polynesian language (MS Ricc. 4125); written on both sides of tree bark, they report magic/religious formulas. Also, particularly noteworthy are three scrolls (in Greek, Arabic, and Hebrew, respectively, now MSS Ricc. I-III). MS. Ricc 1071 contains one of the earliest books of Tuscan cuisine ; it

4859-648: The 21st century, there has been increasing use of the internet to gather and retrieve data. The shift to digital libraries has greatly impacted the way people use physical libraries. Between 2002 and 2004, the average American academic library saw the overall number of transactions decline approximately 2.2%. The University of California Library System saw a 54% decline in circulation between 1991 and 2001 of 8,377,000 books to 3,832,000. Many private businesses and public organizations, including hospitals, churches, museums, research laboratories, law firms, and many government departments and agencies, maintain their own libraries for

4972-746: The Barrister's bookcase is Thomas Jefferson 's book boxes. When the British burned down the capitol in 1814, Congress went into negotiations with Thomas Jefferson to purchase his personal library of about 6,700 books. The book collection would be the foundation of the Library of Congress , and it had its own specially designed shelves designed to help transport the books with ease from Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello. The book boxes or ("book presses" as they are sometimes called) were made of pine with backs and shelves, but no fronts. They were designed to be three-tiered, stacked on top of each other. When fully assembled,

5085-605: The Internet age is a matter of growing concern and advocacy; privacy workshops are run by the Library Freedom Project which teach librarians about digital tools (such as the Tor network ) to thwart mass surveillance. Libraries can have several different spaces for different functions such as: Libraries are usually staffed by a combination of professionally trained librarians, paraprofessional staff sometimes called library technicians , and support staff. Some topics related to

5198-476: The Ministry of Interior Affairs, on April 29, 1813, the city council announced that the library had been purchased. Consequently, no fewer than 3,590 manuscripts , 617 incunables and rare editions as well as 18,257 printed volumes became public property. The two Riccardi librarians – Francesco Fontani and Luigi Rigoli – were put in charge of the newly acquired book collection; they were to serve for free and make

5311-558: The Paris International Exhibition and won a gold medal. The John Danner Manufacturing Company was known for honorable workmanship and affordability. The woods were oak, black walnut, western ash, and Philippine mahogany. Viewed as a progressive businessman, Danner was credited with drawing a large trade and business to the city of Canton. In the great public libraries of the twentieth century, multilevel stacks often served as both structure and shelving, of iron , as in

5424-494: The Riccardi also collected precious incunables, such as Manuel Chrysoloras ’ Erotemata (maybe the first book ever to be printed in Greek), and famous editions, including Savonarola 's Bible (Ed. Rare 640) filled with notes written in his own hand. Manuscripts Printed books Library This is an accepted version of this page A library is a collection of books , and possibly other materials and media , that

5537-447: The Riccardi manuscripts. Cosimo's four sons took after their grandfather Francesco regarding their passion for books. This was particularly the case with Gabriello (1705–1798). A clergyman – and, more specifically, a subdeacon – Gabriello played an extraordinary role both in increasing and preserving the family library. First of all, he decided to separate the library's destiny from that of its various collections; to that purpose, he made

5650-613: The Riccardi purchased significant portions of book collections that originally belonged to such famous figures as Ficino , Landino , Bracciolini , Crinito, Fonzio, Nicodemo Francesco Tranchedini, and Benedetto Varchi or important families like the Pandolfini, Minerbetti, Nesi, Adimari, and Medici . An inventory dating from 1632 informs us that the Riccardi library at the time consisted of almost 500 books (including both manuscripts and printed editions). A major change occurred when over 5,000 printed books and 249 manuscripts were added to

5763-473: The Riccardiana holds a collection of 73,342 volumes, including 725 incunables and 3,880 sixteenth-century editions. The manuscript collection shows how the Biblioteca Riccardiana has managed to bring together a large number of extraordinary private libraries (mostly Florentine and Tuscan ones dating from the 15th and the 16th centuries) that the Riccardi family bought over a long period of time. In doing so,

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5876-516: The Riccardiana too. After World War I the Riccardiana was closed for over twenty years, until 1942, when it opened again as a separate library, provided with its own administration. Like all state libraries, it fell under the Italian Ministry of Culture (specifically, the department known as “Direzione Generale Biblioteche e Diritto d’Autore”). The library boasts a considerable number of books, consisting of both printed volumes and manuscripts ;

5989-788: The Sala Esposizione is known as “ Hercules at the Crossroads ” (or “ Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides ”), while the one in the Sala Catalogo shows “Jove Striking the Giants with His Thunderbolt”. The Biblioteca Riccardiana was further enlarged in the second half of the 18th century, after the subdeacon Gabriello Riccardi (1705–1798) purchased more real estate property in 1786. A true bibliophile , Gabriello commissioned – in neoclassical style – what

6102-495: The Valeriani brothers (Giuseppe and Domenico) and others. Donations Over time the library's patrimony has increased thanks to both acquisitions and donations. Among the latter are the 134 volumes of precious miscellaneous materials that once belonged to Giuseppe Del Rosso (donated in 1831), Mario Pieri 's 55 manuscripts and his correspondence (1852), the rich collection of political papers bequeathed by Abramo Basevi in 1873,

6215-456: The Via Larga family building, he commissioned the inventories of his own museum collections. The book catalogue was prepared in 1706 by the first Riccardi librarian, the priest Filippo Modesto Landi (d. 1756), who in 1733 was succeeded by Giovanni Lami (1679–1770). Eventually, Lami published in several installments – between 1744 and 1756 – what can be considered the first alphabetical catalogue of

6328-572: The ability to check out laptop computers, web cameras, or scientific calculators. Academic libraries offer workshops and courses outside of formal, graded coursework, which are meant to provide students with the tools necessary to succeed in their programs. These workshops may include help with citations, effective search techniques, journal databases, and electronic citation software. These workshops provide students with skills that can help them achieve success in their academic careers (and often, in their future occupations), which they may not learn inside

6441-466: The adjacent Sala Esposizione also date from those same years; access to the second floor is through a stairway placed behind a revolving set of bookshelves. When the Riccardi went bankrupt in the early 19th century the family library and the museum were auctioned. In view of the auction, a catalogue (titled Inventario e stima della Libreria Riccardi ) was published in 1810 and circulated both in Italy and in

6554-418: The book was often used for the inscription of the title, which was thus on the fore-edge instead of on the spine. Titles were also commonly written onto the fore-edge. It was not until the invention of printing had greatly reduced the cost of books, thus allowing many more people access to owning books, that it became the practice to write the title on the spine and shelve books with the spine outwards. (This

6667-424: The bookshelves also supported the floors, which often were built of translucent blocks to permit the passage of light (but were not transparent, for reasons of modesty). The introduction of electric lights had a huge impact on lighting in libraries . The use of glass floors was largely discontinued, though floors were still often composed of metal grating to allow air to circulate in multi-story stacks. As more space

6780-407: The bottom. The underlying meaning is as follows: understanding (which the Riccardi family promotes) allows human beings to raise above their natural state, thus ascending towards the light of truth. The latter is connected both with faith (thanks to Theology) but also with science, which we can reach in our earthly life through research and the use of human intelligence. Francesco Riccardi also chose

6893-463: The boxes stood about 9 feet high. Each shelf had a different depth, however, ranging from 13 inches to 5.75 inches deep. The shelves had about ¾ inch on the front where boards could be nailed on for transportation. Scrap paper was used to stuff between the books as a way of protecting them during their journey. When it was time to transport the books, the individual shelves could be removed then reassembled once they made it to their final location. There

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7006-951: The classroom. The academic library provides a quiet study space for students on campus; it may also provide group study space, such as meeting rooms. In North America, Europe, and other parts of the world, academic libraries are becoming increasingly digitally oriented. The library provides a "gateway" for students and researchers to access various resources, both print/physical and digital. Academic institutions are subscribing to electronic journals databases, providing research and scholarly writing software, and usually provide computer workstations or computer labs for students to access journals, library search databases and portals, institutional electronic resources, Internet access, and course- or task-related software (i.e. word processing and spreadsheet software). Some academic libraries take on new roles, for instance, acting as an electronic repository for institutional scholarly research and academic knowledge, such as

7119-537: The collection and curation of digital copies of students' theses and dissertations. Moreover, academic libraries are increasingly acting as publishers on their own on a not-for-profit basis, especially in the form of fully Open Access institutional publishers. Children's libraries are special collections of books intended for juvenile readers and usually kept in separate rooms of general public libraries. Some children's libraries have entire floors or wings dedicated to them in bigger libraries while smaller ones may have

7232-674: The combination "library and information services", although different institutions and sources define such terminology differently. The term library is based on the Latin word liber for 'book' or 'document', contained in Latin libraria 'collection of books' and librarium 'container for books'. Other modern languages use derivations from Ancient Greek βιβλιοθήκη ( bibliothēkē ), originally meaning 'book container', via Latin bibliotheca ( cf. French bibliothèque or German Bibliothek ). The history of libraries began with

7345-441: The combination "library and information services", although different institutions and sources define such terminology differently. Organizations or departments are often called by one of these names. Most libraries have materials arranged in a specified order according to a library classification system, so that items may be located quickly and collections browsed efficiently. Some libraries have additional galleries beyond

7458-640: The construction of new libraries or extensions to existing ones, and the development and implementation of outreach services and reading-enhancement services (such as adult literacy and children's programming). Library materials like books, magazines, periodicals, CDs, etc. are managed using a library classification system such as the Dewey Decimal Classification Theory, though libraries will usually adjust their classification system to fit their needs. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published several standards regarding

7571-521: The course of a lifetime, but displayed the scrolls in bookcases ( armaria ) of citrus wood inlaid with ivory that ran right to the ceiling: "by now, like bathrooms and hot water, a library is got up as standard equipment for a fine house" ( domus ). When books were written by hand and were not produced in great quantities, they were kept in small boxes or chests which owners (usually the wealthy aristocrats or clergy) carried with them. As manuscript volumes accumulated in religious houses or in homes of

7684-509: The destruction of libraries has been critical for conquerors who wish to destroy every trace of the vanquished community's recorded memory. A prominent example of this can be found in the Mongol massacre of the Nizaris at Alamut in 1256 and the torching of their library, "the fame of which", boasts the conqueror Juwayni, "had spread throughout the world". The libraries of Timbuktu were established in

7797-563: The drawings of Itala (also known as Mippia) Fucini. The Riccardiana also owns the Collezione Segré and the Collezione Uzielli (mostly focused on Francis Petrarch and geography, respectively). Finally, the library preserves the collection that was once owned by fashion designer Sestilia Chiostri and her two sisters; it consists of drawings, sketches, photocopies, croquis, and photographs pertaining to this fashion firm's activities from

7910-605: The earliest extant examples of shelved galleries over the flat wall-cases. Long ranges of book-shelves are somewhat severe in appearance, and many attempts have been made by means of carved cornices and pilasters to give them a less austere appearance. These attempts were most successful as in the hands of the English cabinetmakers of the second half of the eighteenth century. Both Chippendale and Sheraton made or designed many bookcases, mostly glazed with little lozenges encased in fretwork frames, often of great charm and elegance. In

8023-454: The early leaders was John Cotton Dana . The basic form of library instruction is sometimes known as information literacy . Libraries should inform their users of what materials are available in their collections and how to access that information. Before the computer age, this was accomplished by the card catalogue —a cabinet (or multiple cabinets) containing many drawers filled with index cards that identified books and other materials. In

8136-414: The educational institution. Academic libraries house current, reliable and relevant information resources spread through all the disciplines which serve to assuage the information requirements of students and faculty. In cases where not all books are housed some libraries have E-resources, where they subscribe for a given institution they are serving, in order to provide backups and additional information that

8249-435: The existing collection. For this reason, unlike most public libraries, the Biblioteca Riccardiana is still today organized as a single collection and its books are not catalogued according to several different inventories. The current manuscript list is basically still the same as the one registered in the 1810 Inventario e stima . On that occasion the two book collections making up the Riccardi library (one started by Francesco,

8362-403: The eyes of some, the grace of some of Sheraton's satinwood bookcases has rarely been equalled. The French cabinetmakers of the same period were also highly successful with small ornamental cases. Mahogany , rosewood satinwood and even choicer exotic timbers were used; they were often inlaid with marquetry and mounted with chased and gilded bronze. Dwarf bookcases were frequently finished with

8475-499: The first efforts to organize collections of documents. The first libraries consisted of archives of the earliest form of writing —the clay tablets in cuneiform script discovered in Sumer , some dating back to 2600 BC. Private or personal libraries made up of written books appeared in classical Greece in the 5th century BC. In the 6th century, at the very close of the Classical period ,

8588-721: The fourteenth century and attracted scholars from all over the world. Libraries may provide physical or digital access to material, and may be a physical location, virtual space, or both. A library's collection can include books , periodicals , newspapers , manuscripts , films , maps , prints , documents , microform , CDs , cassettes , videotapes , DVDs , Blu-ray Discs , e-books , audiobooks , databases , table games , video games , and other formats. Libraries range widely in size, up to millions of items. Libraries often provide quiet spaces for private studying, common areas to facilitate group study and collaboration, and public facilities for access to their electronic resources and

8701-435: The furnishings and the kind of wood to be used for the furniture. To this purpose he hired two Florentine artisans, Tommaso and Giuseppe Stecchi, who had both to provide the wood and build the bookshelves . For the hall where he would give his parties, instead, Francesco had a series of wardrobes come from Rome and placed next to mirrors painted by Anton Domenico Gabbiani , Bartolomeo Bimbi , and Pandolfo Reschi . In 1691

8814-470: The great libraries of the Mediterranean world remained those of Constantinople and Alexandria . The Fatimids (r. 909–1171) also possessed many great libraries within their domains. The historian Ibn Abi Tayyi’ describes their palace library, which probably contained the largest collection of literature on earth at the time, as a " wonder of the world ". Throughout history, along with bloody massacres,

8927-441: The height of a table to high models reaching up to ceiling height. Shelves may be fixed or adjustable to different positions in the case. In rooms entirely devoted to the storage of books, such as libraries, they may be permanently fixed to the walls and/or floor. A bookcase may be fitted with glass doors that can be closed to protect the books from dust or moisture. Bookcase doors are almost always glazed with glass, so as to allow

9040-412: The latter preserve many texts that have not been either published or properly catalogued yet. It is thus not unusual to make new discoveries when reading those sources. The Riccardiana currently houses 4,460 bound manuscripts and 5,620 unbound folios, which include collections once owned by such scholars as Giovanni Lami , Giovan Battista Fagiuoli , Lorenzo Mehus, and Mario Pieri. As for its printed books,

9153-412: The letters (mostly on political and literary matters) thet Leopoldo Galeotti left to the Biblioteca Riccardiana in his 1879 will. Among the twentieth-century donations are Niccolò Rodolico 's correspondence and books (which finally reached the library in 2019 after spending many years in deposit), those that once belonged to Renato Fucini and Giovanni Rosadi as well as the letters of Eleonora Duse and

9266-438: The library (the latter corresponding to what is now the reading room in the “Biblioteca Riccardiana”) were initially conceived as a single unit. For this reason, they share the same decorative program. The hall (which should be considered as a late Baroque Wunderkammer ) served as a majestic vestibule leading to the library. The frescos by Giordano follow the program designed by Senator Alessandro Segni (scholar, secretary to

9379-584: The library accessible to the public. In 1815, at the time of the so-called “Restauration Period,” the library became property of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and passed under its control. Nevertheless, its public nature was preserved and on October 9 that year it was once again opened to the public. Things, however, were far from simple, especially after one of the two librarians mentioned in Gabriello Riccardi's will – Fontani – passed away in 1819. At that point,

9492-496: The library at the death of Vincezio Capponi in 1688. That addition was part of the dowry of his daughter Cassandra, who married Francesco Riccardi; this increased the family's book collection substantially. Meanwhile, Francesco, in addition to receiving the former Capponi library, increased his own family's collection by purchasing many books, mostly during his grand tour and while living in Rome from 1699 to 1705. Once back in Florence in

9605-837: The library economically self-sufficient and open to the public during regular working hours, also allowing some books to be checked out. Gabriello also reorganized the Biblioteca Riccardiana as we still see it today. As for the books that were given on loan to scholars from 1737 onwards, one can find detailed information in a handwritten register that is still preserved in the library (MS Ricc. 3481). Gabriello not only bought books but also paid close attention to their looks by having them bound by artisans whom he knew personally and held in high esteem for their skills. Also, Gabriello's privileged relations with religious communities – due to his clergyman status – made it easier for him to purchase books frequently. The books that Gabriello bought were never classified separately; instead, they were all added to

9718-501: The main cities north of the Alps . Two years later, at the auction, a group of bookdealers (Piatti, Pagani, Todini, and Casini) bought the whole library collection for 98,000 “franchi.” They soon tried to sell it to the City of Florence for 130,000 “franchi.” Eventually an agreement was reached for 110,000 “franchi” to be paid within three years’ time. Having received permission to spend this sum from

9831-416: The management of libraries through its Technical Committee 46 (TC 46), which is focused on "libraries, documentation and information centers, publishing, archives, records management, museum documentation, indexing and abstracting services, and information science". The following is a partial list of some of them: Some patrons may not know how to fully utilize library resources, or feel unease in approaching

9944-466: The materials located within a public library are available for borrowing. The library staff decides upon the number of items patrons are allowed to borrow, as well as the details of borrowing time allotted. Typically, libraries issue library cards to community members wishing to borrow books. Often visitors to a city are able to obtain a public library card. Many public libraries also serve as community organizations that provide free services and events to

10057-878: The necessity for these services in doubt. Library scholars have acknowledged that libraries need to address the ways that they market their services if they are to compete with the Internet and mitigate the risk of losing users. This includes promoting the information literacy skills training considered vital across the library profession. Many US-based research librarians rely on the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in order to guide students and faculty in research. However, marketing of services has to be adequately supported financially in order to be successful. This can be problematic for library services that are publicly funded and find it difficult to justify diverting tight funds to apparently peripheral areas such as branding and marketing. The privacy aspect of library usage in

10170-426: The needs of the library. Basic tasks in library management include planning acquisitions (which materials the library should acquire, by purchase or otherwise), classifying and preserving items (especially rare and fragile archival materials such as manuscripts), deaccessioning materials, patron borrowing, and developing and administering library computer systems and technology. More long-term issues include planning

10283-421: The number of books in libraries have steadily increased since their inception, the need for compact storage and access with adequate lighting has grown. The stack system involves keeping a library's collection of books in a space separate from the reading room. This arrangement arose in the 19th century. Book stacks quickly evolved into a fairly standard form in which the cast iron and steel frameworks supporting

10396-594: The only librarian left in charge of the Riccardiana – Rigoli – had to oppose a project aimed at merging that library with the Biblioteca Marucelliana . In 1876 the “prefetto” of the Biblioteca Nazionale di Firenze was tasked to manage the Riccardiana as well. He continued to serve in this role until 1884. Eventually, in 1898, the director of the Biblioteca Laurenziana was assigned to oversee

10509-412: The other by Gabriello) were merged – regardless of their origins – and organized according to the following progressive series: From 1810 to the present the manuscript collection has been enlarged thanks to both acquisitions; it now consists of 4.460 exemplars. The drawings collection The Biblioteca Riccardiana owns 276 drawings . The sketches and the illustrations still preserved in the library are

10622-417: The palace were – in chronological order – Ferdinando Tacca , Pier Maria Baldini, and Giovanni Battista Foggini . The latter was also entrusted with designing the interiors, while it fell to Luca Giordano (one of the most admired painters of the time, nicknamed “Speedy Luca” because of his ability at painting quickly) to decorate the ceilings of the main areas, i.e., the hall and the library. The gallery and

10735-495: The palace) and then resumed at a fast pace. In 1689, when those works (including the façade on the Via Larga) were not finished yet, the gallery painted by Luca Giordano was inaugurated. The occasion was an event that involved the whole city, that is, the lavish celebrations for the wedding between Ferdinando de’ Medici (the grand duke's eldest son) and Violante Beatrice of Bavaria . The artists in charge of restoring and enlarging

10848-653: The path to wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. The title of this scene – which was also painted by Luca Giordano (1685) – is “The Mind Understands the Truth”. In comparison with the fresco in the hall, this work is less complex and with a small number of figures, i.e., the personification of Divinity at the top, a naked maiden (the Truth), Theology, the Mind between the Science and the Philosophy at

10961-461: The prominence of and reliance on the Internet has grown, library services have moved the emphasis from mainly providing print resources to providing more computers and more Internet access . Libraries face a number of challenges in adapting to new ways of information seeking that may stress convenience over quality, reducing the priority of information literacy skills. The potential decline in library usage, particularly reference services , puts

11074-516: The public ones, where "reference" materials are stored. These reference stacks may be open to selected members of the public while others may require patrons to submit a "stack request" – a request for an assistant to retrieve the material from the closed stacks: see List of closed stack libraries . Larger libraries are often divided into departments staffed by both paraprofessionals and professional librarians. Their department names and occupational designations may change depending on their location and

11187-498: The public, such as reading groups and toddler story time. For many communities, the library is a source of connection to a vast world, obtainable knowledge and understanding, and entertainment. According to a study by the Pennsylvania Library Association , public library services play a major role in fighting rising illiteracy rates among youths. Public libraries are protected and funded by the public they serve. As

11300-537: The remnants of a patrimony that was originally a lot larger and richer, being part of that collection of famous paintings that made the Riccardi family understandably proud. Some figure drawings are by Giovanni Battista Foggini , Giulio Campi , Bernardino Poccetti , Jacopo Chimenti (also known as “L’Empoli”), Anton Domenico Gabbiani , Giuseppe Zocchi , Pier Dandini , Jacopo Chiavistelli and other seventeenth-century Florentine masters, as well as architecture sketches by Domenico Cresti (also known as “Il Passignano”),

11413-411: The role of libraries in a nation's cultural heritage, and the role of government, church, or private sponsorship. Since the 1960s, issues of computerization and digitization have arisen. Many institutions make a distinction between a circulating or lending library , where materials are expected and intended to be loaned to patrons, institutions, or other libraries, and a reference library where material

11526-672: The room at right angles to the wall-cases. The stack system is suitable only for public libraries where economy of space is essential; the bay system is not only handsome but utilizes the space to great advantage. The library of the City of London at the Guildhall is a peculiarly effective example of the bay arrangement. For libraries where space is extremely tight there is yet another system, usually called mobile aisle shelving . In such systems rows of bookcases are mounted on wheels and packed tightly together with only one or more aisles between them. It

11639-566: The shelves to ensure that the ends of the doors move in parallel without skewing and jamming. Many of this style, exported worldwide, were made by the Skandia Furniture Co. of Rockford, Illinois around the beginning of the 20th century. This style of bookcase was either made in the Dickensian period, or harkens back to the style of such times, so they are most commonly glazed with a leaded light and small panes of glass. Each shelf of

11752-542: The spines of the books to be read. Especially valuable rare books may be kept in locked cases with wooden or glazed doors. A small bookshelf may also stand on some other piece of furniture, such as a desk or chest . Larger books are more likely to be kept in horizontal piles and very large books flat on wide shelves or on coffee tables . In Latin and Greek, the idea of bookcase is represented by Bibliotheca and Bibliothēkē ( Greek : βιβλιοθήκη ), derivatives of which mean library in many modern languages. A bookcase

11865-623: The students and faculty of that and other academic institutions. Some academic libraries, especially those at public institutions, are accessible to members of the general public in whole or in part. Library services are sometimes extended to the general public at a fee; some academic libraries create such services in order to enhance literacy levels in their communities. Academic libraries are libraries that are hosted in post-secondary educational institutions, such as colleges and universities. Their main functions are to provide support in research, consultancy and resource linkage for students and faculty of

11978-486: The two rooms inside the library today known as “Sala Esposizione” and “Sala Catalogo” were also painted to continue the decorative program that had until then involved only the most important areas inside the building. In both cases the topic addressed by the frescos is human destiny. The painters entrusted with decorating those rooms were Tommaso Nasini (1663–1746) and his cousin Giuseppe Nicola (1657–1736). The fresco in

12091-530: The use of their employees in doing specialized research related to their work. Depending on the particular institution, special libraries may or may not be accessible to the general public or elements thereof. Bookcase A bookcase , or bookshelf , is a piece of furniture with horizontal shelves , often in a cabinet , used to store books or other printed materials. Bookcases are used in private homes, public and university libraries , offices, schools, and bookstores. Bookcases range from small, low models

12204-459: The wealthy, they were stored on shelves or in cupboards . These cupboards are the predecessors of today's bookcases. Later the doors were removed, and the evolution of the bookcase proceeded. Even then, however, the volumes were not arranged in the modern fashion. They were either placed in piles upon their sides, or if upright, were ranged with their backs to the wall and their edges outwards. The band of leather , vellum or parchment which closed

12317-412: The world. Over half of Finland's population are registered borrowers. In the US, public library users have borrowed on average roughly 15 books per user per year from 1856 to 1978. From 1978 to 2004, book circulation per user declined approximately 50%. The growth of audiovisuals circulation, estimated at 25% of total circulation in 2004, accounts for about half of this decline. A library may make use of

12430-428: Was dedicated to a “pleasure-seeking fraternity” known as I Dodici Ghiottoni ( The Twelve Gluttons ). Other manuscripts contain texts handwritten by Petrarch , Boccaccio and by some of the greatest Renaissance humanists (such as Pico della Mirandola , Leon Battista Alberti , Marsilio Ficino , and Agnolo Poliziano ) or by famous artists like Piero della Francesca and Bartolomeo Ammannati . No less impressive

12543-489: Was needed, a method of moving shelves on tracks (compact shelving) was introduced to cut down on otherwise wasted aisle space. Library 2.0 , a term coined in 2005, is the library's response to the challenge of Google and an attempt to meet the changing needs of users by using Web 2.0 technology. Some of the aspects of Library 2.0 include, commenting, tagging, bookmarking, discussions, use of online social networks by libraries, plug-ins , and widgets . Inspired by Web 2.0, it

12656-462: Was possible because the books were now in the form of a codex rather than a scroll.) Early bookcases were usually of oak , which is still deemed by some to be the most appropriate wood for an elegant library . The oldest bookcases in England are those in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, which were placed in position in the last year or two of the sixteenth century; in that library are

12769-515: Was purchased by Gabriello Riccardi (1606–1675) in March 1659. The entrance to the library is on Via de’ Ginori. Replacing the family of the Tuscan grand dukes as owners of a building as rich in history as Palazzo Medici was a sort of consecration for the Riccardi, who came from humble origins and had only recently attained their noble status. At a time when the Riccardi's patrimony was inferior only to that of

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