About Us

The National Central Library of Florence is a public library, governed by the Italian Ministry of Culture, and responsible for gathering, conserving and documenting the nation’s history.

About Us

Institutional duties

With a view to favouring the development of the community through the dissemination of knowledge, the BncF, in its role as an institution charged with the gathering, conservation, documentation and celebration of the nation’s history:

    1. collects documentation of cultural interest for public use, for the purpose of creating a national archive of Italian publications produced on any media, including digital networks, and obtained through donation, acquisition or on the basis of legal deposit, in accordance with the provisions of Law no. 106 of 15 April 2004 and with the relative implementing regulation issued with Presidential Decree no. 252 of 3 May 2006.
    2. expands, develops and enhances its own collections, including through the acquisition of antique items both in Italy and abroad and through the exchange or deposit of documentation.
    3. further enhances its collections through the acquisition and documentation of foreign works published in Italian, foreign works regarding Italy, and foreign translations of works published in Italy.
    4. provides national library services through the production, coordination and distribution of the various series of the Italian National Bibliography (BNI), in compliance with international standards and programmes.
    5. preserves and safeguards both antique and modern works, implementing policies for protection, restoration and digitalisation.
    6. carries out research and studies, and implements procedures for the long-term preservation of digital resources.
    7. catalogues the library’s collection of works, and promotes the knowledge and use of the same.
    8. fosters awareness of the collection of works and culture through publications, reviews, exhibitions and conventions on both a national and international level.
    9. ensures the celebration of its own cultural heritage through direct or indirect management, including through the stipulation of contracts and agreements with public and private entities, as well as contracts for collaboration with local and national organisations.
    10. produces tools for subject indexing for nationwide use, and carries out research into and experimentation of techniques for improving national bibliographic and library services.
    11. collaborates on the development of the Italian library network, and of the National Library Service (SBN) in particular, working with the Central Institute for the Union Catalogue of Italian Libraries and Bibliographic Information (ICCU) and with the National Central Library of Rome (BNCR).
    12. fosters international collaboration, also through participation in organisations, projects and conventions.
    13. promotes and organises educational activities regarding library sciences and institutional activities, also in collaboration with other organisations.
    14. provides scientific consultancy services to both public and private organisations, drawing on its expertise and technology.

Internal regulations

BncF Internal Regulations
(updated as of March 2021)

Annual report on activities

In accordance with the regulation establishing rules for state public libraries (art. 21 of Presidential Decree no. 417/1995), the library director prepares an annual report on the activities conducted over the course of the previous year.

“In addition to examining the programmes and projects implemented over the course of the year, said report should also contain the results of financial, technical and administrative management, including organisational decisions taken. It furthermore highlights any particular matters related to the activities of the library, and provides an overall assessment of operations”

Each annual report is accompanied by statistics regarding the main activities.

5x1000 for the BncF

The 5×1000 Cultura income tax initiative is aimed at funding activities related to the safeguarding, promotion and enhancement of cultural heritage.
It is possible to make a 5×1000 donation to the BncF by simply selecting “Finanziamento delle attività di tutela, promozione e valorizzazione dei beni culturali e paesaggistici” in the relative area on the tax declaration form and entering the Tax Code (codice fiscale) for the library: 80020550481.

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