A survey on Waldensian libraries in Italy: features, problems and future prospects

Abstract

The state of Waldensian libraries in Italy is a topic ever faced up by scholars. This article study in deep the libraries main features, thanks to a survey that had collected a wide range of information, from the more organized historical realities to the just born and developing entities. The heterogeneous data and sources analysis (telephone interviews, e-mail exchanges, online database consultation) has been the main feature of the research. This analysis allowed us to discover and evaluate those realities that are not open to the public, but compared to the local context, hold a significant library assets. This has highlighted a complex schema, made of by a pool of libraries with very different stages of development. The survey was held in conjunction with a particularly significant historical moment for the whole panorama of cultural heritage belonging to the Waldensian world, and that will redefine the future of the Waldensian libraries themselves.