“The privilege of the written word”: studies, projects and new methodological approaches for author funds

Abstract

The essay proposes a reflection on the topics covered during the conference “The privilege of the written word: management, preservation and improvement of personal cards and books” organized by the Department of Sciences of Cultural Heritage of the University of Salerno, with the collaboration of the Library Centre of the University of Bologna, the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Bologna and the National Commission of Special Libraries, Archives and Author Libraries of the Italian Libraries Association. Risks are analyzed, such as those related to the dispersion and fragmentation of materials during the life of the producer, good practices, with the presentation of concrete projects, the approach to new digital technologies. The conference days, organized in sessions, were divided by themes: “Books, papers, maps: the personal workshops of writing and the arts”; “Personal funds in excavation, description and management activities”; “Personal funds between physical space and digital space: the paths of access and enhancement”. Part of the event was dedicated to the presentation of the Guidelines on the treatment of personal funds. The publication of the proceedings will certainly encourage new reflections and a remodeling of the same guidelines, also in consideration of the documentary typologies to be treated that were subject of deepening and report during these study days.