75831 - History of the Book and Library Science (1)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will possess basic knowledge about the history of the book, from manuscript to printing and down to the contemporary age of digital publishing. Also the book trade, readership and its many ways of exploitation in the modern and contemporary eras. They will know about the formation, organization, cataloguing and conservation of libraries, including the planning and management of library collections and services in an international and technologically advanced perspective. They will be capable of collecting, selecting, processing, and summarizing complex documentary data and information so as to formulate independent conclusions and opinions. They will organize information logically and outline it with methodological rigour, care and precision.

Course contents

The library and its services

As a key venue for the selection, organisation, use and preservation of knowledge and memory, the contemporary library has transformed its spaces, functions and services for those involved in its sphere of activity, which is becoming ever broader thanks to networks and digital technology. Following a brief overview of the institutional framework of the libraries, students will learn about their main resources, their organisation into systems and models of library service, cataloguing standards, and the specific nature of the collections in relation to the various services provided by the libraries, in accordance with their mission and vision.

Readings/Bibliography

1. G. GRANATA, Introduzione alla Biblioteconomia, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009, OPPURE: G. MONTECCHI - F. VENUDA, Nuovo manuale di Biblioteconomia, Milano, Editrice Bibliografica, 2022.

2. Rapporto sulle biblioteche italiane 2021-2023, a cura di V. Ponzani e M. Battaggia, Roma, AIB, 2024.

Students not attending the class will NOT be required to read any supplementary material but are invited to book a preliminary oral consultation (in person or online) with the Professor; they should NOT send an email.

NB: In this bibliography, the texts are cited in their Italian editions, specifically the first or most authoritative editions. Any reprints of these are, of course, considered equivalent.

Teaching methods

Lectures, including those using multimedia resources.
Some lessons will take place at libraries in Bologna and across Emilia-Romagna.

Assessment methods

A student is considered to be attending if they attend at least 75 per cent of the lectures.

For attending students, the examination consists of an oral interview on the main topics covered in lectures and addressed in the examination bibliographical list, with particular emphasis on the key themes and most relevant issues.

For non-attending students, the examination consists of an oral interview on the texts in the bibliography, including those mentioned in the section reserved for non-attending students.


In assessing the examination, particular account will be taken of the student’s ability to navigate the sources and the examination reading list in order to extract useful information that will enable them to explain topics and issues and to link them together.

The following will therefore be assessed:
- Mastery of the content;
- The ability to summarise and analyse topics and concepts;
- The ability to express oneself clearly and using language appropriate to the subject matter.

Students who demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered in lectures and/or addressed in the bibliography listed here, combined with their critical application, as well as a good command of expression and subject-specific language, will be awarded top marks.

A rote knowledge of the subject matter, combined with the ability to summarise and analyse, expressed in correct but not always appropriate language, will lead to reasonable marks.

Gaps in knowledge, inappropriate language and a lack of ability to navigate the bibliographical materials provided during the course will be assessed negatively.

There are at least 7 exam sessions per year, generally distributed as follows:

‐ 2 between September and November

‐ 2 between January and March
‐ 3 between May and July

The schedule for these sessions will be finalised as the academic year progresses, depending on the lecturer’s teaching, research and administrative commitments.

Teaching tools

Students who have never studied Library and Information Science prior to this course may find it beneficial to read one or more of the following titles in order to build or otherwise consolidate the foundational knowledge required for the course.

1. Guida alla Biblioteconomia, a cura di M. Guerrini, Milano, Editrice Bibliografica, 2008.

2. Biblioteche e biblioteconomia, a cura di G. Solimine, P.G. Weston, Roma, Carocci, 2015.

3. Ferruccio Diozzi, Nuovo glossario di biblioteconomia e scienza dell'informazione, Milano, Editrice Bibliografica, 2021.

Students who, for reasons relating to a disability or specific learning difficulties (SLD), require compensatory or alternative arrangements must first contact the relevant office: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it/per-studenti.

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Tinti