Biblioteca Comunale Scarabelli
Established in 1862 in the former Convent of Jesuits, it named after philologist Luciano Scarabelli, who made generous donations of valuable books. Library has assets 142,166 volumes and 281 manuscripts (year 2013). It also has a collection of historical works making up the Old Fund, including 11 incunabula of philosophical and religious arguments (1476-1496), two scrolls and a thousand precious sixteenth. Together with other volumes purchased by individuals, they were added those personal director, Calogero Manasia and sculptor Michele Tripisciano. Among the more recent donations are important to remember those of Giovanni Mule Bertòlo, historian of the city. Of particular value and importance was the contribution of the books from the Capuchin Monastery. The sixteenth corpus is certainly the most valuable. Particularly famous and important is the Polyglot Bible of Waltonfu, printed in London between 1654 and 1657 in six volumes. Wwork by Brian Wolton, Orientalist bishop, it is written in Latin, Greek, Arabic, Chaldean, Hebrew, Ethiopian, Persian, Syriac and Samaritan. Related to it are two volumes of the dictionary in seven languages by Edmond Castell, with its grammars said Heptaglotton Lexicon (1686). Inside the Library valuable works of art and a collection of busts of famous people.
