The Central University Library (BUC) holds book collections of the Departments of Economics and Management, Sociology and Social research, Law, Arts and Humanities.
Coronavirus information: in line with government guidance, we are lifting restrictions in libraries.
The building was planned by architect Renzo Piano as a library in 2015 and it is articulated in seven floors spread across four buildings. The majority of the books are placed in open shelves (directly accessible by users) in fifteen rooms, ordered by subject according to Dewey Decimal Classification.
Book and journal location
Open shelf volumes: they are located in the library rooms, freely available: they include the newest and most consulted part of the collection of books and the last two years of subscription magazines. The layout of the books follows the disciplinary criteria described in Space Organization .
Closed shelf volumes: they are placed in stacks not accessible to users, except in specific cases: they include the oldest and least consulted section of the book collection, previous years of subscription journals, discontinued journals, the collection of antique and valuable books.
Consultation and loan arrangements depend on the location and are described on the dedicated page.
Services
The Library offers the following services:
- Access and borrowing
- Interlibrary loan and ILL/DD
- Reference
- Internet access
- Photocopy service
- Library instruction
- Services for users with special needs
- Access to the BUC Meeting room (for professors and researchers only)
- Group Study Room Reservation (at the Cavazzani building)
- Lockers
Holdings (01.01.2022)
As of 1 January 2022, the library has 419,167 monographs and 8,745 journal titles, of which 1,108 are currently subscribed.
The library boasts a considerable historical heritage in the sociological field, which developed constantly since the early 1960s when the Istituto Superiore di Scienze Sociali was founded, Ten years later it became the first Faculty of Sociology in Italy. Special attention is also given to certain sections of the humanities: the disciplines of antiquity (philology, art, history) languages and Italian and foreing literatures. Of particular interest are some special collections: ancient books on law and the collection of printed music.
Spaces
Books are arranged on the shelves under the Dewey Decimal Classification. There are twelve readings for more than 400 seats.
Library Staff
- Vittorio Carrara (Head)
- Staff
How to reach us
The library is in Quartiere Le Albere, Via Adalberto Libera 3.