The knowledge you need
The University Library of Padua is a state public library open to all citizens, founded with the goal of preserving, enhancing, and making accessible an important collection of books and documents.
The Library's regulations clearly define the procedures for accessing and using its services, promoting a welcoming, orderly, and respectful environment for study and research.
Patrons can consult books, manuscripts, and historical materials, take advantage of lending services, receive bibliographic assistance, and participate in cultural initiatives organized by the institution.
Special attention is paid to the protection of its ancient and valuable collections, which represent a resource of great historical and cultural value. The Library encourages proper and collaborative behavior, so that everyone can experience its spaces peacefully and productively.
Thanks to its services and its cultural mission, it continues to be a point of reference for students, scholars, and citizens interested in knowledge and research.
User Services
Hours:
Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
The shelves contain general and thematic encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, etc., and subject-specific reference books. These works are freely available to readers and are displayed along the walls of this room as well as the Manuscripts and Rare Items Room and the Information Office.
Hours:
Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Books for on-site consultation or loan are available during library hours. Loans allow up to two items, for a total maximum of four volumes. Books printed before 1900, manuscripts, rare or valuable works, volumes in poor condition, periodicals and miscellanies, reference-only materials, and items with special bindings, such as spiral-bound volumes, are not eligible for loan. Any restrictions are generally indicated in the online catalog.
Loans are available for 30 days, with the option of a renewal for an additional 30 days. Renewals can be requested on the last day of the loan period directly at the loan desk, by phone, or through the personal online area "My Library Card." It is not possible to renew books whose loan period has expired or that are reserved by other users.
Borrowed books are for personal use and may not be transferred to third parties. Late returns will result in suspension of the service. If books are lost or damaged, even with simple pencil marks, the library will require a replacement with a new copy or, if the item is no longer available, a payment equivalent to its value.
The University Library of Padua offers interlibrary loan and document delivery services to both its own users and other libraries, ensuring access to materials not available on-site.
Patrons registered for the loan service can request volumes from Italian and foreign libraries. The loan terms—duration, home consultation, possible extensions, and the possibility of reproduction—are established by the lending library. Requests and collections must be made in person. There are no limits on the number of requests, and shipping costs are the responsibility of the requester. It is also possible to obtain paper or digital copies of articles and parts of works, in compliance with copyright laws.
The Library also provides loan and document delivery services to other libraries, with a loan period of 40 days, including shipping times. Costs are borne by the requesting library and can be paid via IFLA voucher or bank transfer. Digital photographic reproductions are produced for non-photocopiable materials.
The University Library of Padua, an institution of the Ministry of Culture and part of the Padua library system, does not participate in free reciprocity services.
Requests can be submitted via the ILL SBN service, email, online form, or regular mail.
Hours:
Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
The Information Office is available to offer visitors support and guidance in using the library's resources. It provides assistance in consulting the library's bibliographic collection, helps with catalog use, and supports bibliographic research, with a focus on modern printed editions (post-1830) and digital databases. It also offers a general orientation service, helping visitors understand and make the most of the various services available.
The Photoreproduction Service of the University Library of Padua handles requests for digital reproductions of manuscripts, ancient books, rare and valuable materials, as well as documents excluded from photocopying or scanning due to conservation reasons or specific format requirements.
The service is outsourced to a specialized external company that, after authorization from the librarian in charge, sends the requester a cost estimate. Once the estimate is confirmed and payment is made, the reproductions are produced and transmitted in digital format within 10 days. In accordance with the guidelines of the Italian Digital Library, reproductions from the original are made on a single page.
Reproductions with personal devices
Photography with personal devices - smartphones, tablets, or cameras - is permitted in the reading rooms only for manuscripts, ancient books, and modern materials no longer subject to copyright, as required by Article 108 of the Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code. Upon completion of the photography, the user must complete a self-certification form available in the Manuscripts and Rare Books Room, indicating the location and pages reproduced.
Reproductions of Modern Materials
The service for sending photocopies and scans of modern bibliographic materials is managed by the Bibliographic Information Office for private requests and by the Document Supply Service for libraries and cultural institutions.
Requests must be sent directly by email to the relevant addresses.