The Centro Caprense Ignazio Cerio Library

The Centro Caprense Ignazio Cerio Library is specialized in the history of the island of Capri and is open to the public. It was founded in 1960 in accordance with the terms of Edwin Cerio’s will; the nucleus of the library features the bibliographical and documentary collections produced and/or collected by members of the Cerio family. Owing to his wide-ranging cultural interests, a major contribution was made by Edwin Cerio. Several other collections have also been bequeathed over the years. The library houses some 6,000 volumes, over 4,000 manuscripts and various iconographic and photographic collections.

The bibliographical collection

The main body of the bibliographical collection is composed of 19th and early 20th century editions although there is certainly no lack of 16th, 17th and 18th eighteenth century editions. Of particular interest are the Miscellanea Section which reflects the Cerio family’s numerous and far-ranging cultural exchanges and relations of both a scientific and a humanistic nature, and the Periodical Section. A well furnished, unique Collection (“Raccolta fattizia”) holds documentation and extracts related to the history of the Island of Capri. Lastly, of utmost significance are the Laetitia Cerio and Shirley Hazzard Collections.
Through the Polo di Napoli (Polo SBN-NAP located at the National Library in Naples), the library  adheres to the Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale (SBN) –National Librarian Service, which is the Italian library network created by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities.
Through this computerized National Service and thanks to funding received from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism and the Campania Region, the Centro Caprense Library is able to constantly increment the number of volumes in its catalogue.
Since 2005, it has been possible to conduct in-depth and integrated searches through  the National Librarian Service (SBN) as well as through the Portale Internetculturale (Cultural internet portal) under the aegis  of the (ICCU)  Central Institute for the Union Catalogue of Italian Libraries, where the data from the  Centro Caprense Library catalogue is automatically channelled.

The manuscript, photographic and iconographic holdings

The bibliographic collection of the Ignazio Cerio Centro Caprense library is perfectly integrated with the Manuscript section and the Iconographic and Photographic Section.
The Manuscript Section was established during a re-organization programme which was initiated in 2016 and is still ongoing. All the manuscripts in the Ignazio Cerio Centro Caprense were channeled into this section; several series of documents had already been organized into collections while others are currently being identified, re-organized and inventoried. The collections which have thus far been identified are:

  • The Centro Caprense Ignazio Cerio fonds
  • The Ignazio Cerio fonds
  • The Edwin Cerio fonds
  • The Arturo Cerio fonds
  • The Laetizia Cerio fonds
  • The Cerio Family member fonds
  • The Personalities fonds
  • The Alfonso Carelli Collection
  • The Parchment fonds
  • The Municipalia fonds
  • The Ecclesiastical History fonds
  • The Notorial Acts and Legal Papers fonds
  • The Certosa di San Giacomo fonds
  • The Taking of Capri fonds
  • The Italia Nostra fonds
  • The Carlo Bonucci fonds
  • The Teodoro Pagano fonds
  • The Feola fonds
  • The Ruocco fonds
  • The Knight fonds

Established in 1960 by Edwin Cerio, the core of the library’s collection is composed of bibliographical and documentary holdings produced and/or collected by the Cerio family.

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Opening hours

Tuesday and Saturday - 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Sunday, Monday and holidays - closed

Free entry

Access to the library is free of charge.

Contacts

LIBRARY – Dr. Carmelina FIORENTINO, biblioteca@centrocaprense.org
DIRECTION – [da definire]