History - The origins

The Biblioteca Universitaria of Genova (University Library of Genova ) draws its origins from the ‘Libraria del Collegio dei Gesuiti’ (Library of the Jesuit College).

With the dissolution, in 1773, of "Compagnia di Gesù"  (The Society of Jesus, the name of the Jesuit Order), the Collegio (college) was renamed Università Pubblica (Public University) and came under the direct control of the Repubblica (Republic) of Genoa. So the Jesuitical library turned itself (was turned) into the "Libreria della Pubblica Università di Via Balbi" ("library of the public university of Balbi road"). Convent and religious libraries were gradually suppressed and their funds joined with the Library. In 1778 the learned erudite Gaspare Luigi Oderico was named librarian with the task to catalogue the books of the ex Collegio (college). The task was completed in 1785 and, since previous inventories were not kept, the handwritten volumes drawn up by Oderico constitute the most ancient catalogue of the book library collections.