Last week I made an interesting trip to the Biblioteca Comunale Manfrediana in Faenza, Emilia Romagna.
Giorgio Bassi is the head of the inner sanctum of this fascinating little library and a veritable font of knowledge about its history. He and his assistant Silvia, were the warmest of hosts.
The main reason for visiting was to see a small collection of books donated by the University of Portland, Oregon at the end of the second world war.
In 1944, bombing raids all but destroyed the library which dates back to the 14th Century and used to be a convent. The town’s mayor, Alfredo Morini, sent a letter to 617 American colleges and universities requesting help.
Nello Spada, a former resident of Faenza worked at the American embassy in Portland and this connection doubtless contributed to the University’s decision to donate 1,315 works as part of ‘Oregon’s Let’s Help Italy Campaign’ in 1949. Continue reading
