Library

The Istat library is open to the public and permits access to national and international statistical information.

It contains 500,000 volumes and 2,700 current periodicals, as well as a historical fund consisting of 1,500 volumes published prior to 1900.

In addition to the Institute’s own publications, the paper- and computer-based collections include works on statistical and socio-economic subjects by Italian and foreign authors, periodical and special publications by national institutes of statistics around the world and by international bodies (BIT, FAO, FMI, OCDE, ONU ecc.) and the main Italian and overseas organisations and institutes. Collections of laws and other documents of a legal nature are also available.

A room is available on the second floor of Istat’s head offices for users to consult the volumes. Access is allowed for visitors aged 18 or over. Visitors must obtain a pass, which is issued at I reception, after leaving a current identity document.


Library
via Cesare Balbo, 16 - 00184 Roma
ph. +39 06 4673.2380
fax +39 06 4673.2617
email biblio@istat.it

For historical and bibliographical searches: Cont@ct centre

Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday to Friday 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

History

The Istat library was formally established in 1926 as part of the constitution of the Central Institute of Statistics.

Its initial core consisted of volumes from the library of the Ministry of Agriculture, which derived from the publishing activities of the Department of Statistics of the Kingdom of Italy, from donations by private benefactors and Italian and overseas public institutions

At the end of 1929 the volumes were transferred to the Institute’s small temporary premises in Via di Santa Susanna. Only in January 1932 was the library permanently moved to its new premises in Via Balbo, where its rational organisation began.

Over time the library’s importance within the Institute has grown. Its history faithfully mirrors the changes that have occurred in the panorama of Italian statistics. In addition to the works published by the Institute, the documentation available to users includes works on statistical and socio-economic subjects, by Italian and foreign authors, by national institutes of statistics around the world and international organisations.

Since 1996 the library has been one of the hubs of the National Library System (SBN), thus offering users the opportunity to carry out library searches in the Index, a database containing over 2,000,000 items comprised by the catalogues of the major Italian libraries. For publications acquired by the library between 1926 and 1979 only a printed catalogue exists, while publications acquired since 1980 have been recorded electronically.