Rome's top art history library reopens after year-long closure following student petition

The Biblioteca di Archeologia e Storia dell'Arte (BIASA) in Palazzo Venezia, Rome—Italy's only national library specializing in archaeology and art history—reopened on April 13, 2021, after being closed since March 2020 due to the first COVID-19 lockdown. The prolonged closure, which continued despite state libraries being allowed to open, sparked outrage among students, scholars, and cultural heritage workers. The CUNSTA (Consulta Universitaria Nazionale per la Storia dell'Arte) launched an online petition addressed to Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, which garnered over 6,500 signatures. The ministry responded, announcing the reopening on the BIASA website on April 9. The petition also referenced a planned relocation of the library to Palazzo San Felice, designed by Mario Botta, with €10 million allocated under the MiC's Grandi Progetti Beni Culturali program, though timelines remain uncertain. The closure was deemed a waste of public resources and a severe blow to young researchers, who were forced to rely on foreign libraries with restricted access. The reopening was hailed as an unexpected turnaround, allowing continuity for researchers.