The Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale of Florence: Tradition and Innovation in Support of the Information Society

The Italian library system, which comes under the Minister of Cultural Affairs, is based on two National Libraries (Biblioteche Nazionali Centrali), one in Rome and the other in Florence. The first is responsible for access to the national collection and for the National Centre for Manuscripts, while the second is responsible for the preservation and collection of documents of national interest and importance and acts as the national bibliographic agency. This dual library system is the legacy of Italian national history. The Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale of Florence (BNCF) may be considered the natural keeper of an extraordinary history of political,cultural and artistic achievement of mankind, which blossomed in Tuscany from the Middle Ages until the mid-19th century, when Florence lost its political autonomy. The BNCF's prestigious tradition and its outstanding collections are paralleled by its unique role in the Italian library system, its expertise in the automation field and in conservation, its continuing efforts to keep skills updated and its cooperation with international partners. The following article contains a brief history and an outline of future goals.