The Library Department

The Municipal Museum of Pula (Museo Civico della Città di Pola) was established in 1902. The Municipal Library (Biblioteca Comunale di Pola) was located in the Museum building and opened on January 1, 1903.

The Provincial Library (Biblioteca Provinciale) was created in 1930, likewise in the building housing this Museum, by pooling together the holdings of the Municipal Library from Pula, the Provincial Library from Poreč, and the Library of the “Biblioteca Provinciale dell'Istria” Society (Consorzio per la “Biblioteca Provinciale dell'Istria”). World War II and the subsequent allied military administration in Pula, which lasted for two years, impoverished this library whose holdings were in 1950 taken over by the then Scientific Library. In 1967, the Scientific Library moved from the second floor of the Museum to the adjacent building that at the time housed a school.

With the renewed opening of the Museum in 1947, the foundations for a new museum library were set. The holdings of the new library were created by donations; however, the start of publishing activities at the Museum marked a turning point. With the first editions also came the inevitable exchange of scientific papers, a common occurrence between related institutions, academies and universities in Croatia and abroad. At present the library exchanges materials with 382 addresses, and this number is constantly increasing.

The Library’s holdings include more than 40,000 volumes. These for the most part consist of issues of the 840 periodical publications.

The library also possesses very old and valuable materials that deal with the history of both the Museum and Istria. These materials are invaluable when it comes to archaeological bibliography and they represent a source of information for the study of existing, not yet processed materials stored at the Museum.

Some of the most interesting titles are:

Atti e Memorie della Società istriana di archeologia e storia patria
Archeografo Triestino
Inscriptiones Italiae
Jahrbuch für Altertumskunde
Mitteilungen der K. K. Zentralkommission
J. Lavallet - L. F. Cassas, Voyage pittoresque et historique de l'Istrie et de la Dalmatie (Paris 1802)
M. Tamaro, Le città e le castella dell'Istria (Parenzo 1802)
P. Kandler, Notizie storiche di Pola (Parenzo 1876)
B. Benussi, L'Istria sino Augusto (Trieste 1883)
P. Stancovich, Biografia degli uomini distinti dell'Istria (Capodistria 1888)
C. De Franceschi, L'Istria: note storiche (Parenzo 1897)
C. Marchesetti, I castellieri preistorici di Trieste e della regione Giulia (Trieste 1903)
G. Caprin, L'Istria nobilissima (Trieste 1905)
A. Gnirs, Istria praeromana (Karlsbad 1925)
B. Schiavuzzi, Il Duomo di Pola (cenni storici) (Pola 1924)
D. Rismondo, Dignano d'Istria, Nei ricordi (Ravenna 1937),
Inventario degli oggeti d'arte d'Italia, provincia di Pola (Pola 1935)

The “Dr. Branko Marušić” foundation represents a special department within the library, which numbers 2,529 bibliographic units and was created as a sign of lasting gratitude to the long time director and Museum professional Prof. Dr. Branko Marušić (1926 – 1991).

Towards the end of 2001 the library was enriched by yet another foundation numbering 1,208 bibliographic units. This foundation was established thanks to Prof. Štefan Mlakar (1913 – 2001), a Museum professional of many years standing, who bequeathed his works to the Museum.

Staff:

Adriana Gri Štorga – Head Librarian
Milena Špigić – Assistant Librarian

The library is open to the public from 09:00 to 13:00 hours.

Visits to the library must be arranged in advance, in groups not exceeding 20 persons.

Information, consultations and questions:

Adriana Gri Štorga – Head Librarian
Tel. no.: 052/351-308
e-mail: adriana(at)ami-pula.hr