Library
Catalogues
The library hosts a remarkable number of books representing technical and scientific knowledge of Italy and Europe during the Nineteenth century. You can find records of disciplines such as agronomy and forestry, chemistry, physics and astronomy, mathematics, hydraulic mechanics, natural history, topography, constructions, economics, and statistics for a total of about 30,000 volumes, pamphlets, and periodicals (about 500 publications).
Of particular interest are the collections of technical manuals (Roret, Weale, Hoepli), the “Giacomo Bellacchi” special fund – composed of mathematical works – and the “Esposizioni” fund, which includes all the catalogues of the Tuscan exhibitions and a wide collection of the catalogues of the World’s Fair from 1851 to 1910.
The library also hosts a wide number of graphic works such as drawings and lithographies, and a quality collection of geographical and topographical maps. Some manuscripts – like Giuseppe Morosi’s ones – and two archives belonged to the ancient Istituto Tecnico Toscano and to the Scuole Popolari Gino Capponi, respectively, are stored there.
The collections from the Nineteenth century have been widened thanks to purchases and donations with the aim of documenting – as thoroughly as possible – the history of science and technology focusing on that century. Among the recently purchased collections, the Microprint Landmarks of Science collection is of remarkable interest.
Over the past few years the number of today’s periodicals has been increased, in particular those about astronomy for a general public and of a scientific nature.
Paper catalogues
AUTORI: it includes (main and secondary) forms for every author whose books were acquired by the library from 1850 to 1992 – year when the catalogue was closed.
TOPOGRAFICO: it includes forms ordered by collocation from 1850 to 1992 – year when the catalogue was closed.
CLASSIFICATO: it includes forms ordered by the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) of the documents acquired by the library from 1850 to 1992 – year when the catalogue was closed.
PERIODICI: it includes forms ordered by alphabetical order for periodicals acquired by the library from 1850 to 1992 – year when the catalogue was closed.
FONDO ANTICO: it includes forms ordered by author and collocation.
EX-LIBRIS (provenance and dedication bookplates): it includes forms ordered by alphabetical order of bookplates.
Published catalogues
• La Biblioteca dell’Istituto Tecnico Toscano. 1. libri antichi : catalogo (1482-1799). Firenze, 1986.
• Catalogo delle Miscellanee della Biblioteca dell’Istituto Tecnico Toscano. Firenze, 1989.
• Catalogo delle Carte Topografiche. Firenze, 1991.
• Catalogo dei Materiali Grafici. Firenze, 1991.
• La Biblioteca dell’Istituto Tecnico Toscano: i Periodici. Firenze, 1993.
Online catalogue
It allows you to consult catalogues of monographies, periodicals, pamphlets and the microprint Landmarks of Science Collection (a collection of photographic reproductions of works useful to the study of science history) for a total of about 16,981 records.
