The library
The library of the Istituto Musicale "Vincenzo Bellini", named after the Catanian musicologist Francesco Pastura (1905 - 1968), at present has a book patrimony of circa 13.000 volumes consisting of manuscripts, scores, parts, books on history of music and musicology, treatises, reference works, opera libretti, and magazines of musical interest; to these is added the audio section which includes circa 1300 CDs, 400 LP 33rpm records, various 78rpm records of epoch, audiocassettes e videocassettes in VHS form of opera and jazz.
Some scores and parts, dating from the turn of the twentieth century, come from donations by musicians from Catania; in particular is cited the Sangiorgi font that includes the facsimile parts of the operatic works of Alfredo Sangiorgi (1894 - 1968) and a facsimile manuscript of Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and the Schininà font, donated by the violinist Luigi Schininà, consisting of a collection of circa 2000 volumes of parts and texts of musical and musicological interest.
Recently the library was enriched with other valuable material donated by the former director of the Istituto musicale Santi Di Stefano; the donation includes a considerable collection of scores and books and a very valuable collection of 33 and 78rpm records.
A further addition for the book and audio collection was made with the acquisition and recent donations of Domenico Danzuso and by the heirs of the Catanian musician Antonino Gandolfo active in the second half of the XIX century, of whom the library of the Institute possesses some of his opera manuscripts (melodramas, sacred music and piano music).
La biblioteca mette a disposizione degli utenti tre postazioni multimediali con PC dalle quali è anche possibile accedere ad Internet; vi è anche un impianto centrale hi-fi stereo per la riproduzione di dischi fonografici, CD e cassette per ascolti di gruppo e una postazione con videoregistratore e monitor televisivo.
The library puts at the disposal of the users three multimedia booths with PC from where it is also possible to have Internet access; there is also a central hi-fi stereo system for playing phonographic records, CDs and cassettes for group listeners and a booth with video-recorder and television monitor.
The library offers, besides the services already cited, also the photocopying and electronic scanning of library material; further more, it is possible to use the computer for word processing and for musical notation (services reserved for professors and internal students)
For borrowing, returning, and reference, the opening hours are as follows:
| Mon-day | Tues-day | Wednes-day | Thurs-day | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.00 - 13.00 | 10.00 - 13.00 | 10.00 - 13.00 | 10.00 - 13.00 | 10.00 - 13.00 |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | 15.00 - 17.00 | -- | 15.00 - 17.00 | -- |
In our library it is possible to consult: