Biblioteca di Economia e Management
Type: Thematic bibliographic collection
Status: Closed collection
Location: “MERC”
Time span: 1875–2004
Language: Mainly Italian and English; a significant number of volumes in French, German, Spanish, and other languages
Format: Printed monographs, journal issues, and technical manuals
Access conditions: Open or on-site consultation, depending on the document
Origin: The collection brings together volumes originating from the Library of Commodity Sciences
Content:
The collection covers a time span ranging from the mid-twentieth century (from at least 1944) through the 1980s and beyond. Most of the volumes focus on topics related to commodity sciences, with particular attention to specific industrial sectors, such as the chemical, footwear, and tanning industries, especially in an international context. The collection also includes scientific and technical works, particularly in the fields of chemistry and physics, as well as publications touching on disciplines such as statistics and documentation science.
From a geographical perspective, the publications are predominantly European, with a strong presence of works published in Italy and France, and with particular attention to data and statistics relating to OECD countries. The presence of works belonging to specific series or collections, together with manuals, repertories, and annual serial publications, suggests a dual use of the material for teaching purposes as well as for research and documentation.
Thematic areas:
- Economics and statistics: Analyses of specific industrial sectors (e.g. footwear and tanning industries), international economics, and statistical studies.
- Social sciences: Sociology, urban studies, and spatial planning.
- Chemical and physical sciences: Texts on applied chemistry, physical chemistry, and spectroscopy.
- Law and regulation: Commercial law and sector-specific legislation.
- Economic history and documentation: Historical repertories of industrial production and documentation manuals.
- Engineering and technology: Technical manuals and studies related to productive and industrial sectors.
Documentary and historical value:
The collection shows a significant degree of thematic coherence, particularly with regard to economics and the analysis of specific industrial sectors. Chronological coherence is mainly concentrated in the post–Second World War period, making the collection a valuable resource for the study of industrial, economic, and technological development in the second half of the twentieth century. The presence of annual serial publications is especially relevant for specialist research, as it allows for the analysis of historical series and the evolution of economic phenomena over time. The collection also includes works of notable historical and documentary interest—such as repertories of Italian chemical production—which provide a unique insight into the industrial landscape of the post-war period.
