Italian archives and libraries reopen under new COVID-19 measures

Following the latest Italian government decree (DPCM) of December 3, 2020, archives and libraries are allowed to reopen under specific COVID-19 safety protocols. Archives will be freely accessible while respecting anti-contagion measures, whereas libraries will require advance booking. The Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities and for Tourism (MIBACT) announced that each institution will communicate booking procedures and access rules on its website. However, the reopening is seen as a minor concession amid the broader shutdown of cultural venues like museums, theaters, and cinemas, which were not mentioned in Prime Minister Conte's December 3 speech. The timing, just before Christmas holidays when many institutions will close until next year, further limits the impact. During the lockdown, several initiatives kept reading accessible: Florence's Bibliobus offered a mobile book lending service, Milan's BiblioExpress provided home delivery by librarians, and bookseller Luca Ambrogio Santini delivered books by bicycle with a cart. The historic Libreria Bocca under Galleria Vittorio Emanuele launched Instagram live interviews. Additionally, Bookdealer, an e-commerce platform uniting independent Italian bookstores, was created to counter Amazon's monopoly.