Opened today the new premises for the Town Library (Biblioteca Comunale) at Valgatara di Marano in the heart of Valpolicella, helped by funds from Masi.
A round table with the theme “Libraries today: reading, learning, meeting” and contributions from some of the most authoritative spokespersons for Veronese and Italian culture preceded the official opening of the new Marano Library. Welcome addresses were made by the mayor of Marano, Giovanni Viviani, by Sandro Boscaini, President of Masi Agricola, and by Gianmaria Tommasi, the original founder of the library 45 years ago and, as President of the Valpolicella Benaco Banca, still its sponsor today. Speeches, moderated by journalist Gabriele Colleoni of Giornale di Brescia, were made by Daniela Brunelli, Director of the University Library of Verona and Prof. Gian Paolo Marchi, who talked about his long experience as a student of Italian Language and Literature. Other interesting contributions came from Andrea Kerbaker, author and Director of ‘Tempo di Libri’ in Milan, who talked about the importance given to books and libraries by the great artists, and also from Paolo Pezzolo, in charge of the Library System of Verona.
The meeting underlined not only the fundamental role of the Library in safeguarding our literary heritage, but also in informing us about our own region: the culture that libraries promote is not only valuable for the education of individuals, but also for the wellbeing of the entire community. The “modern” Library gives citizens the chance to find whatever they want to read through a network system extending throughout the territory. Lastly, a Library is made up not only of books, but also the people that come to visit it, which is an essential relationship if it is to be kept alive.
In a moment of celebration for the Boscaini family, the Masi staff, and the citizens of the Commune, Mayor Giovanni Viviani entrusted the keys of the Library to the hands of the children of the primary school, saying:
"Every library should focus on children, and in particular, giving the keys to the smallest members of the community is symbolic of handing on our cultural heritage to the new generation, in the hope that they will continue to frequent the library as they have always done up until today."
In agreement with the Town Council it was decided to commemorate the common interests of Masi and the Public Administration by placing a plaque to Guido Boscaini, the first Masi President, at the entrance to the Library.
"We have always felt involved in this project by the Town Council and its Mayor, Giovanni Viviani. In fact, it’s part of our own DNA to promote not only the culture of wine but also that of the territory it comes from. We have done this for decades through the Masi Foundation, whose aim is to sustain and encourage the cultural heritage of the Venetian region through its numerous activities. We liked this initiative particularly, because it is aimed particularly at children, their cultural education and their socialisation in an open environment, without barriers, like this library, which in this case is also open to the entire Valpolicella region."
