The Consorzio

The Consorzio provinciale per il servizio della pubblica lettura e del prestito librario (a consortium to organize lending services) was founded on December 28, 1958. The Provincia (county) approved a Statute immediately subscribed by 50 of 60 county municipalities.
Roughly 50 books arrived monthly at 62 lending points in town halls, schools or social centres: they could be chosen on the print catalogue distributed also in different venues.
But the real purpose of the Consorzio was to open public libraries, and it was achieved from 1968 on, when the Provincia invested 615 million lire (a value of € 4.690.677,18 in 2008) to create them on municipal grounds or buildings, also funding them with half the costs for personnel ad other running expenses.
Open shelves with state-of-art collection, large opening hours, design fittings and lighting, a flexible layout to use areas differently on different hours, meet-the-author, panels on topical questions, discussion reports were part of the success story of the libraries, absolutely new for the Italian public.
Central services were increased for collection management, cataloguing, bibliographic information, events and communication, continuing professional education.
The Consorzio ceased on December 31, 1986. Libraries were devolved to municipalities; the Provincia was given coordination responsibilities by the Region.
From 2002 all public libraries in the county share the same opac and library management system with Bologna and University libraries, already integrated.