The origins of Italian astrophysics: the correspondence between Secchi and Tacchini

The Giorgio Ronchi Foundation of Florence has just published the book “Alle origini dell’astrofisica italiana: il carteggio Secchi-Tacchini 1861-1877”. It contains the correspondence between Angelo Secchi and Pietro Tacchini, the two pioneers of astrophysical research in Italy and in the world who were active in the second half of the nineteenth century.È stato di recente pubblicato dalla Fondazione Giorgio Ronchi di Firenze il volume “Alle origini dell’astrofisica italiana: il carteggio Secchi-Tacchini 1861-1877”. Il libro contiene la corrispondenza tra i due grandi astronomi, Angelo Secchi e Pietro Tacchini, pionieri della ricerca astrofisica in Italia e nel mondo che operarono nella seconda metà dell’800

NILDE (Network Inter Library Document Exchange): An Italian Document Delivery System

This poster presents "NILDE", a Document Delivery system sup- porting the exchange of documents via Internet. The system has been carried out by the Central Library of the National Research Council of Bologna (Italy) in order to make use of a new Internet technology, to promote a cooperation be- tween the Italian University libraries and Research libraries, and to achieve short turnaround times in satisfying DD requests. The Arcetri Astrophysical Obser- vatory Library was the first astronomical library to join the NILDE project from its earliest days, during year 2002. Many were the reasons for this choice: au- tomation of the DD processes, security and reliability of the network, creation of usage statistics and reports, reduction of DD System management costs and so on. This work describes the benefits of NILDE and discusses the role of an organized Document Delivery system as an important tool to cope with the hard rules of the editorial market

Astronomical Libraries Make the Future Happen: Support to Public Communication of Science as Part of the Library Mission

Despite the advent of the electronic age and the wide dissemination of information of all kinds via the Internet, the specialized library can and will become an active pole in the knowledge-based society. By exploiting their scientific authority and consequent validation of information accuracy, libraries can build a bridge between science and the public. The “Declaration Concerning the Evolving Role of Libraries in Research Centres” (2007) describes a moment of great impetus in the professional activity of librarians but is also a cry of alarm for the unique situation of the libraries in research centres. This presentation will consider the theoretical context of this point of view and focus on libraries in main European research centres. Particular attention will be paid to their relationship with the dissemination of scientific information to the general public and their role in public outreach

Il pianoforte di Einstein

Se gli oggetti potessero parlare potrebbero raccontare molte storie delle persone a cui sono appartenuti, ma anche dei tempi che hanno attraversato. Questo libro racconta l’inedita storia del pianoforte regalato da Einstein alla sorella Maja nel 1931, poi passato nelle mani del pittore Hans Joachim Staude e ora conservato all’Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri. Attraverso fonti e immagini, viene così ricostruito il legame di Einstein con l’Italia, e soprattutto con Firenze, tra scienza, arte e cultura, all’epoca dell’avvento del fascismo, della questione ebraica, delle leggi razziali e della guerra fino all’emigrazione negli Stati Uniti. Una vicenda costellata di avvenimenti a volte meravigliosi, a volte tragici, mai banali. Un’avventura vissuta a fianco delle vite di molte donne e uomini che hanno dovuto confrontarsi con sfide quotidiane ed epocali, accompagnate da un filo conduttore, la musica, che ha legato in maniera indissolubile le loro esistenze

Negotiating with the scientific publishers. A new experience for the Italian Astronomical Libraries

In 2016, Italian Astronomical Libraries decided not to renew their subscriptions to electronic journals directly with the most important scientific publishers but to adhere, wherever possible, to the negotiating activities conducted by CARE, a coordinating group within the Libraries Commission, of the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI), the Italian association of state and private universities. Participating in a consortium would have meant better economic conditions for INAF and more favourable contract terms for the final user. Advantages and disadvantages of direct negotiations with the publishers or of participation in a large consortium are analyzed here