The Story of the FAO Library – 65th Anniversary 1952–2017

149 Pages·2017·20.57 MB·English

The story of
The FAO Library
65th Anniversary
1952-2017
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Rome, 2017
FAO. 2017. The story of The FAO
Library - 65th Anniversary 1952-2017.
Rome. 148 pp.
Texts: Véronique Montes Baffier, FAO
(Chapters 4 & 5), Sarah Dister, FAO
(Chapters 3, 5 and library history
introductions), Niccolò Mignemi, École
Française de Rome (Chapters 1 & 2),
Carla Benocci, Sovrintendenza Capitolina
ai Beni Culturali (Annex Chapter 2).
The designations employed and
the presentation of material in this
information product do not imply the
expression of any opinion whatsoever
on the part of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations
(FAO) concerning the legal or
development status of any country,
territory, city or area or of its authorities,
or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries. The mention
of specific companies or products of
manufacturers, whether or not these
have been patented, does not imply
that these have been endorsed or
recommended by FAO in preference to
others of a similar nature that are not
mentioned.
ISBN 978-92-5-109440-2
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© FAO 2017
Table of Contents
Introduction • page 1 •
CHAPTER 1. David Lubin and the International Institute of Agriculture
The origins of FAO • page 5 •
CHAPTER 2. The Library of the International Institute of Agriculture
Our heritage • page 23 •
CHAPTER 3. The Foundation of the FAO Library
The David Lubin Memorial Library • page 45 •
CHAPTER 4. The Treasures of the FAO Library
Incunabula and rare books • page 65 •
CHAPTER 5. The FAO Library Today
The Digital Age • page 123 •
Acknowledgements
The aim of This book is to give an overview of the historic events that shaped FAO’s David Lubin
Memorial Library and its predecessor, the library of the International Institute of Agriculture (IIA).
We hope we have succeeded in highlighting some of the roles that both libraries have fulfilled
within the world of agricultural information management and their contribution to FAO.
The preparation of this book was made possible with the support and input of many
individuals from the Library, archives and publication teams. We want to thank the editors,
translators, designers and the photo archive for their contribution and valuable input.
We also wish to give special thanks to Michelle Bergerre for locating historical documents
and helping us with the IIA collection; to Milena Cazzato for her expertise in antiquarian
bibliography; to Sara Carnevale for her continuous help in retrieving and scanning documents;
and to Fabio Ciccarello who assisted us with the FAO archives research.
We would like to extend a particular thanks to the École Française de Rome that made
possible the three-year post-doctoral research project of Niccolò Mignemi on the archives and
the library of the International Institute of Agriculture.
We express our gratitude to Claudio Parisi Presicce, Sovrintendente Capitolino ai Beni
culturali, who approved Carla Benocci’s participation in this enterprise.
Introduction
•
The fao Library ceLebraTes iTs sixTy-fifTh anniversary The FAO Library was officially opened in Rome on
1
in 2017. This book commemorates this event with an overview 10 June 1952 and named the David Lubin Memorial Library, •
y
of the historical events that shaped the FAO Library and “in recognition of the foresight, leadership, and outstanding r
a
r
highlights some of the roles the library has played in the world contribution of David Lubin to international co-operation in b
Li
of agricultural information management. the field of agriculture.”3 Over the last 65 years it has amassed O
A
The story of FAO’s David Lubin Memorial Library starts its own collection on top of the IIA heritage, consisting e F
Th
with its predecessor, the library of the International Institute of non-FAO as well as FAO publications, collecting and
of
of Agriculture (IIA), founded in 1905 in Rome by King Vittorio preserving each and every FAO document ever published. s
r
a
Emanuele III. In so doing, the King was fulfilling the dreams of Today the FAO Library preserves one and a half e
y
5
David Lubin (1849-1909), an American citizen of Polish origin million volumes, which together form the memory of the 6
who had dedicated his life to the service of what he called Organization. It is the leading force on digital content
“the United States of the World.”1 and dissemination of FAO publications and the source for
When FAO was founded in 1945 it was quickly decided agricultural knowledge worldwide.
that it should become the custodian of the IIA, since
“the difference between the two organizations is more of •

1 Agresti, O.R. 1941. David Lubin: A scale than of fundamental intent. Central to the programmes
study in practical idealism. Los Angeles, of both is concern for the farmer and for agriculture.”2
University of California Press, p. 1.
The custodianship was especially in regard to the IIA Library,
2 FAO. 1969. David Lubin
which at that time was one of the largest agricultural research
(1849-1919): An appreciation. Rome,
Italy, FAO, p 1. collections in the world. It contained 400 000 volumes on
3 FAO. 1950. Report of the agriculture, including a collection of 400 rare books and
Conference of FAO: Special session,
32 incunabula – a precious heritage for a library with the task
Washington, 3-11 November 1950.
Rome, FAO, p 12. of sustaining FAO as a knowledge organization.

Enlightening

•
WiTh The age of enLighTenmenT, book collecting became At the end of the nineteenth century David Lubin became
3
more widespread throughout Europe and North America and the passionate promoter of the accessibility of agricultural •
y
the number of private libraries increased, many forming the knowledge. He envisioned an international organization for r
a
r
core of today’s great libraries. However, general use of these agriculture that “collects, publishes and disseminates the b
Li
libraries remained highly restricted. knowledge of the conditions and of other facts of the world’s O
A
One of the first librarians who talked about opening staples of agriculture”2 with the scope of protecting e F
Th
up library collections to the public was the Italian Anthony “the common interest of farmers and for the betterment of
of
Panizzi (1797–1879), who in the mid-nineteenth century was their condition”.3 s
r
a
the chief librarian of the British Museum. Lubin’s idea was realized with the support of Vittorio e
y
5
“I want a poor student to have the same means of Emanuele III, the King of Italy, and in 1905 the International 6
indulging his learned curiosity, of following his rational Institute of Agriculture (IIA) was founded in Rome, Italy.
pursuits, of consulting the same authorities, of fathoming the The second president of the IIA, Marquise Raffaele Cappelli,

1 Edwards, E. 1870. Lives of the most intricate inquiry, as the richest man in the kingdom, as outlined the main aim of the new institute as follows:
Founders of the British Museum: With far as books go.”1 “Progress consists in spreading light, in making facts
Notices of Its Chief Augmentors and
The idea of making knowledge accessible to all became a which were formerly obscure, or imperfectly known, or
Other Benefactors, 1570-1870, Part 2.
London, Trübner & Co., p. 413. common good realized through libraries across the world, and known only to the privileged few, clear and apparent to
2 David Lubin Archives, pt1: IIA. v.1, has nowadays been taken to a whole new (digital) level by the all. Prejudices which injured and still injure mankind, are
sect.1: Papers in relation to the founding
Open Access movement. merely due to lack of knowledge. The International Institute
of IIA – 24/1.
of Agriculture will throw much new light on the phenomena
3 Agresti, O.R. 1941. David Lubin: A
study in practical idealism. Los Angeles, of production, organization, and the sale of the means of
University of California Press, p. viii. subsistence, consequently it will be a great progress.”4
4 Press reports of the activities of
David Lubin. 1A May.1908-Oct.1908:
•
News cuttings, p. 20.

C H A P T E R 1
David Lubin and the International
Institute of Agriculture
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The origins of FAO y
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Niccolò Mignemi O
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