Le biblioteche a nord del futuro: l’eredità di Lalla Sotgiu

Abstract

This article traces the human and professional profile of Maria Carla Cavagnis Sotgiu who passed away last February. Lalla (as she was affectionately known) was for a long time one of the leading figures in the Italian library world. She was a leading figure at the Istituto centrale del catalogo unico (ICCU), where she arrived in 1981 after working as a librarian in Sassari. She was appointed head of the Laboratorio per lo sviluppo del controllo bibliografico. She belonged to the historical core that worked for the design and launch of the Servizio bibliotecario nazionale (SBN). Tracing her career, which saw her direct the Discoteca di Stato and the Osservatorio per i programmi internazionali, the article shows how through her participation in numerous European projects and in the activities of international associations she contributed to the de-provincialisation of the Italian library environment. The article also aims to grasp which elements constitute his legacy for the profession.