Είσοδος
The good news is that the municipal library of Bisceglie is reborn thanks to significant and expected redevelopment projects funded through the Public Notice Community Library, aimed at supporting libraries in the Community, as part of the regional strategy SMART - IN promoting cultural heritage (POR FESR FSE PUGLIA 2014-2020 Axis VI - Protection of the environment and promotion of natural and cultural resources Action 6.7 - Actions for the enhancement and enjoyment of cultural heritage).
A real challenge
The project is ambitious:to create a cultural service capable of satisfying the needs of study and information of its citizens, but also to be a reference point for all, a place where it is pleasant to visit and entertain. The new library will not only provide its services on the paper material owned, but will also make all documents accessible in digital format. These materials will be qualified according to their content, therefore, they will be organized "by areas of interest" and within the thematic sections will be held all types of documents deemed relevant to the specific theme.
Let’s see the NUMBERS of the project
31/12/2018 expected start date;
08/07/2019 effective start date;
€1.447.640.83 public cost monitored (data updated to 31/10/2022), of which 80% European Union funds, 14% by the Rotation Fund, the remaining 6% by the Puglia Region; €658,728.23 already paid between 14 March 2019 and 13 June 2022, represent 45% of the total cost; 30/10/2022 expected end and here comes the bad news: the Library is still closed. After 3 months from the supposed delivery date the municipal library does not see the light yet but we want to see clearly!
Let's try to guess what might have happened: the pandemic (our region entered the red zone in mid-March 2020), the so-called "dear materials", which joins the shortage of products most commonly used in construction, the increase in energy costs and uncertainty regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The latest statements made by the mayor, that go back to November 2022, announce that the work is being completed: all the rooms are thus making a significant leap in quality in both libraries, the old one in our historic center and also the new community library at Villa Angelica, in Sant'Andrea district. The Apulia Region is the recipient of resources (Investment 7 of Mission 1 of the PNRR) for the municipalities which will be able to apply for the spaces for the activation of the Digital Facilitation Point, adequately equipped technologically to allow the training activities for citizens, as our New Library, if only it was ready.
In the meantime we are passionate about the theme Libraries and we have tried to discover data on this world. Due to our habit as young people to look at the future, we have educated ourselves on the topic Readers and Library because we wish our New library to have all the scheduled by the output indicators and even more.
At first we have looked up the countries of european territory to see how many public libraries are there: Spain the first place before countries like Finland, Denmark; followed by Germany and then Italy at the fifth place. Lastly Portugal, after Sweden. Then, we have researched data on italian public libraries, on offered services and the number of users for every region. It has emerged that Valle d’Aosta is the italian region that has more reading stations and that service offered by public libraries is still the traditional one.
Regarding the number of users of public libraries, Puglia can certainly do better and we are strongly convinced that “Bisceglie, reading city” can help increase these statistics. We should consider that our city is very bound to the topic of reading. For example every year, during summer, in Bisceglie’s historic centre takes place “Libri nel Borgo Antico” (Books in the Historic Centre); a prestigious event during which, not only do authors present and sign their books, but also takes place an actual cultural exchange of opinions, debates, presentations and projects related exclusively to reading.
We hope to see your faces next year!
