‘Librarians must first and foremost be librarians’. On Biblioteche e pubblica lettura. Scritti 1957-2007 by Armando Petrucci

Abstract

Armando Petrucci (1932-2018) was the greatest historian of Latin writing in the twentieth century. His research on the history of books, reading, and libraries in the modern era is fundamental. Equally important is his ability to frame book-related issues within academic and political debates. This collection, edited by Alberto Petrucciani, brings together texts in their original form to offer readers a sort of summa of Petrucci’s reflections and proposals. He was a scholar who contributed greatly to discussions on libraries, their functions and their organization. Biblioteche e pubblica lettura. Scritti 1957-2007 is the result of careful philological editing. The texts have been revised and harmonized to create a coherent and accessible volume.