In 1998, a storage space was set up in Galluzzo when one of Florence’s libraries was moved from piazza Elia della Costa to Villa Bandini. In time, public interest turned the storage into a local ‘reading room.’ Then local residents saw the possibility of turning it into a neighbourhood library.
Now, 10 months and 25 million euro later, the transformation is complete and Galluzzo library is open to the public.
With furnishings from Florence’s former courthouse, the library houses approximately 5,500 books and various periodicals. It offers borrowing privileges, Internet access, a newspaper archive, an area for public readings and a section for children and teenagers.
At the library’s official opening, Florence mayor Matteo Renzi expressed his gratitude to a local family and a volunteer association for their help in making the upgrade possible: ‘We thank Monica Pierleoni, who donated books to the library at a time when it is difficult for local councils to purchase new ones, as well as the volunteer association La Scatola, which will help to manage the library.’
Library hours, services and news can be found at www.biblioteche.comune.fi.it/biblioteca_del_galluzzo