About the Library
The Library of the Faculties of Law and Arts and Philosophy was established alongside the University of Milan in 1925, building upon an existing core collection inherited from the Scientific-Literary Academy, which had been active since 1863. At the time of its incorporation into the University, the collection comprised approximately 24,000 volumes.
Among the first collections that formed the foundation of the Law library were 7,500 volumes belonging to Emanuele Segre and another 7,500 from the Library of the Milan Senate, dating from the 16th to the 18th century. The library’s holdings continued to grow steadily: by 1932, it had acquired 24,000 new volumes and recorded 4,500 consultations. During these early years, the library was enriched by numerous valuable donations. In the years leading up to the Second World War, the library underwent a more structured organisation, facilitating its expansion. The collection grew from 100,000 volumes in 1937 to 125,000 volumes and 280 serials in 1940. The library was open to professors, students, and external users, and a dedicated lending service was in place.
However, in 1942, bombing raids caused significant damage to the library. Many books and catalogues were lost, either destroyed or stolen, and a considerable amount of material remained missing for years. The post-war reconstruction process was arduous and prolonged.
After being housed in several temporary locations, the library moved to Via Festa del Perdono in 1958. The following year, the newly appointed director, Giuliana Sapori, initiated a thorough reorganisation of the library. By adopting modern technical support systems and acquiring appropriate bibliographic tools, she re-established a centralised library with a unified catalogue based on professional standards. She also developed an efficient lending service to ensure access to books stored in various institutes.
During the 1980s, Italy embarked on the extensive automation of the National Library Service, with the library playing a leading role both within the University and in the wider academic community, particularly in cataloguing. By the time Giuliana Sapori stepped down as director in 1982, the library’s collection had reached 595,000 volumes.
Following a brief period under Maria Grazia Arrigoni’s leadership, Giuliana Giustino took over as director in 1987, overseeing significant transformations.
She reorganised centralised services, including cataloguing, serials management, lending, and interlibrary loans. Automation enabled the introduction of basic library services in decentralised branches, where previously collections had been systematically organised but not directly accessible.
Under Giustino’s direction, the restored 15th-century Filarete’s Crociera building was converted into two large reading rooms in 1990. Thanks to the combined efforts of both faculties, historic and modern collections were brought together, offering an extensive open-shelf bibliographic collection to support academic research. In 1993, the Sala Common Law was added, housing significant collections of Anglo-American and European Union law. In 1995, Giustino successfully completed the online catalogue (OPAC) project, marking a major milestone in the University’s library services transformation.
In 1996, Maria Alessandra Dall’Era took over as director and spent 12 years consolidating these innovations while coordinating and reorganising the complex library system for Law and Arts and Philosophy. The Faculty of Law transferred substantial collections from institute libraries to a new reading room under the Settecento Courtyard, thereby improving direct access to legal monographs and serials. Meanwhile, the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy consolidated its departmental collections, creating new large-scale libraries. Dall’Era also oversaw the retrospective cataloguing of both faculties’ collections in the National Library Service (SBN). By 2002, the University OPAC provided complete information for all humanities libraries.
During this period, digital collections were introduced, laying the foundation for the University’s Digital Library, which now manages a vast collection of e-books, e-journals, databases, and other multimedia resources.
In 2009, Lidia Diella was appointed director, initiating a comprehensive reorganisation of the library. She streamlined workflows, harmonised reading room operations, and consistently monitored library activities.
She also enhanced the security and preservation of the library’s holdings, ensuring that valuable materials were identified and relocated to a dedicated space for optimal conservation. Storage areas were reorganised for greater efficiency.
Diella increased study spaces and introduced new lending and consultation methods. Recognising students’ needs, she established a dedicated section for Law course textbooks.
From July 2013 to May 2021, Mario Di Bono served as director, during which time the library was renamed the Law and Humanities Library - BSGU.
Under his leadership, the library absorbed the collections, staff, and management of departmental libraries in the Faculty of Law, significantly expanding its holdings to 600,000 books and journals, and harmonising services.
This period also saw the launch of an ambitious project to transform the library’s spaces, services, and collections. Renovation work on the Sala Centrale began but was interrupted by the Covid-19 emergency.
Throughout the pandemic, Di Bono effectively managed the challenges posed by the library’s closure, enhancing remote services. Following its partial reopening on 6 May 2020, he navigated the complexities of service provision in a constantly evolving situation. During this period, the BSGU remained one of the few University facilities open to the public.
On 1 June 2021, Maria Cristina Selva was appointed director. Under her leadership, the library renewal programme initiated by Di Bono was formalised, aiming to create a large multifunctional library where historically dispersed collections would be unified.
The first step in this transformation was the refurbishment of the Sala Centrale, which was inaugurated on 11 January 2023. This space now serves as the main service hub for all reading rooms and a key reference point for the Via Festa del Perdono site.
In July 2023, construction work commenced on a new integrated space encompassing the existing Sala Crociera, Sala Sottocrociera, Sala Common Law e Diritto internazionale, and Sala Pozzo. This area will feature a single entrance, reflecting the original design of the 15th-century Ca’ Granda, facing the portico on Largo Richini.
On 4 November 2024, the new Sala del Settecento reading room will be inaugurated, increasing study spaces by incorporating the former Manhattan IT room and further expanding the open-shelf collection.
