These items appeared separately in the original version of the Around Naples Encyclopedia on the dates indicated and have been consolidated here onto a single page.
The paper reports on a poll conducted by ALL (Adult Literacy and Life Skills) that says 73% of those interviewed in the Naples area had never been in a library and 45% had never set foot in a book–shop. The numbers, so says the report, are particularly grim when it comes to the 16–31 age group, those who are about to leave school or who have recently left school. They do not seem to have picked up the reading habit in their studies.
I am not sure how to
interpret numbers like that. I have lamented (above) the
fact that there is no public library system to speak of
in Naples. It is simply not part of the cultural history
of the area. There is an extensive system of private
libraries usually going back to prominent persons in the
intellectual history of Naples. That is, for example, if
you want to browse in what used to be Benedetto Croce's private
library, you can do that at the institute founded in his
name, where all his books now reside (see number 5 on map page). That pattern is
repeated throughout the city. Getting into these places
is a bit iffy, at times. It's almost like a Prohibition
speak-easy—the knock on the door, the peep-hole, the
panel sliding back, Joe the Bouncer asking you what you
want, the password and countersign (maybe something like
a whispered "Fahrenheit 451," and "Equals Centigrade
233". That's close enough; you might get in). Many
important collections of books have also found their way
into the National Library of Naples or one of the many
university libraries in the city. The National Library
is open to the public, but it is somewhat like the
Library of Congress in the United States—browse, read,
yes, but take home, no. The university libraries are
along the same lines. The nice little public library
down on the corner that issues you your free pass to
lifelong learning does not exist.
[BUT! 2009 update: See
item, below]
Bookshops are another matter. There is a street in the historic center of Naples called via San Biagio dei librai—"Saint Biagio of the book sellers". (Saint Biago was a 17th-century monk ordained in Naples. I was hoping that he might turn out to be the patron saint of booksellers. That appears not to be the case; that honor goes to, among others, John the Apostle and Thomas Aquinas, the latter of whom used to teach on the "book street". Pretty stiff competition for poor Biagio.) The street still features a great number of small bookshops, usually dealing in old or even antique books. It also runs right through the university section of Naples, and there is a corresponding spike in the bookshop curve as you get to Piazza San Domenico Maggiore. Interesting, however, is the great number of sidewalk bookstalls that probably don't fit in a pollster's definition of "book shop" but do brisk business. Also, the street that runs from Piazza Dante to Port'Alba has at least a dozen bookshops along 75 yards of street. Many of these are used books stores that advertise prominently, "We buy books".
The Barnes and Noble
syndrome—the book supershop that, besides books, also
has CDs, DVDs, many other fine acronyms, a coffee shop
and places to sit and read—has come to Naples. There are
two Feltrinelli stores in Naples. They fit the above
description, especially the newer of the two at Piazza
dei Martiri (photo). A new wrinkle in town is the recent
opening of FNAC, originally a French chain, in the
Vomero section of town. It has all of the above and, as
well, a computer section and Internet cafe. They tell me
that the shop in Paris has seven floors. In Naples, it
has but two, but with the business they seem to be
doing, they may have to invade the rest of the
block.
miscellaneous portal to top of this page
The City Libraries Service coordinates the resources and activities of the 13 public libraries of the city through a network system. It also helps to integrate local libraries into the network of libraries in the whole Campania Region, thanks to the opportunities offered by the national library system. Cultural advertising activities are also carried out by organizing events and exhibitions within the libraries, thus widening the range of services offered to users and meeting the demands of local citizens who start to consider libraries as ‘friendly places’… [Besides lending books]…libraries organize reading groups under the surveillance of the personnel. Groups have weekly meetings, during which they read aloud and comment on significant texts of contemporary literature…This encourages the further development of interest in books, promotes literatures from foreign countries and above all turns libraries into places where people can have pleasurable personal and cultural encounters.