The St. Thomas Aquinas diocesan library was inaugurated this morning. Approximately 1000 square meters of new spaces completely renovated and expanded, designed for all those people who will live there, starting from the little readers, who constitute its beating heart. The works were carried out thanks to a regional tender financed by European funds as part of the interventions for the valorisation of the cultural heritage belonging to ecclesiastical bodies and also involved the exteriors, with the cloister repaved in stone and the theater completely redesigned.
Don Mimmo Basiledirector of the diocesan library and SE Luigi Mansi commented with joy on the new inauguration: «We are proud to give back to the entire community a place of great value which brings with it a very long history made up of many people of quality and culture who have made its history. The St. Thomas Aquinas Library today becomes increasingly welcoming and inclusive, with the men and women who want to experience it at its centre.”
«Our library maintains its cornerstones which concern local history, the trilogy, the history of art, spirituality and the children’s section. All collections that we are increasing. The library maintains the library services it has provided to its readers so far, wishing to expand its cultural offering by experimenting with different languages such as music and theatre. It was designed as “everyone’s home”, a place of democracy for the community and for the community.» comments the manager of the diocesan library, Silvana Campanile.
After the blessing of Bishop Mansi and the interventions of the authorities present, the actor and writer took to the theater stage, Roberto Mercadini with “The beauty of words” designed to underline the importance that every single word has in everyone’s dialogue, actions and life. Words that are the stylistic feature of every single room of the library and that invite reflection and action.
Imagined in its potential, the library was then accompanied, not without stumbles and difficulties, to evolve from a “house of books” to the modern concept of “everyone’s home”. Therefore, it is not simply a restructuring but a collective work, to which all those who have entered into a relationship over time have given their contribution to varying degrees.
A cultural garrison that the entire community will have to take care of.
Born around the bibliographic fund of the seminary founded in 1705, the library became diocesan in 1997 by bishop decree and since 2002 it has been open regularly to the public, with the use of the 8×1000 contribution to the Catholic Church – present today also a member of the national office for ecclesiastical cultural heritage and religious buildings of the CEI which, with the 8×1000 funds, ensures the functioning of museums, archives and libraries. Today its services are enriched by collaboration with the Readers’ Club of Andria, which will allow you to experiment with diverse programming in terms of content and languages and qualified technical support for all the activities that will be hosted.
Saturday 25 May 2024
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