Mission

The Centre for documentation and research on the history of schoolbooks and children's literature aims to achieve the following purposes and objectives:

- Establishing of a *specialized library, which contains, in microfilm and in electronic form, the vast production of textbooks, reading books and teaching manuals for primary and secondary schools published in Italy during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with particular attention to post-unification period; -Identifying and collecting archival and printed materials*, on the history of educational publishing and publishing houses and use of textbooks (reading books, courtesy-books, exercise books etc.), as well as the history of children’s literature, with particular attention to Italian books of 19th an 20th centuries;

- Establishing of a specialized library, which contains, in microfilm and in electronic form, the vast production of textbooks, reading books and teaching manuals for primary and secondary schools published in Italy during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with particular attention to post-unification period;

-Identifying and collecting archival and printed materials, on the history of educational publishing and publishing houses and use of textbooks (reading books, courtesy-books, exercise books etc.), as well as the history of children’s literature, with particular attention to Italian books of 19th an 20th centuries;

- Participating in national and inter-university research projects: projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, such as the PRIN (Research Project of Relevant National Interest) for the years 2019-2022 on the topic School Memories; the PRIN 2005-2007 on the topic School publishing and textbooks in Italy and Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth century; the Interlink research project 2005-2007 entitled Multiopac of European textbooks (http://www.reseducationis.it/multiopac.aspx); and the PRIN 2008-2010 on the topic Sources of the history of education and schools;

- Participating in international research projects: projects funded by the European Union, such as the Erasmus+ Project "I2 - Identity & Innovation" (2021-2022) managed by the Museum; the international project History On-Line, which was approved by the European Commission within the Lifelong Learning Program - Erasmus program (2007-2009);

- Carrying out new lines of research and targeted research of high scientific level, in collaboration with other Italian and foreign Centres and scholars, in a number of key-sectors for international historical-educational research. We can cite the recent book series entitled «The Library of History of Education & Children’s Literature», produced in 2011 and edited by the University press of Macerata (http://eum.unimc.it/), and the international peer-reviewed journal «History of Education & children's Literature», founded in 2006 (http://www.hecl.it/en);

- Promoting, in collaboration with other scientific institutions, at national and international level, scientific initiatives such as: research conferences, seminars and workshops, study days, exhibitions and book presentations. With regard to this area, in 2007 the Centre organised the international symposium School exercise books (Macerata, 26 to 29 September 2007), and in 2009 the international History On-line Conference (Macerata, 17-18 September 2009);

- Offering students and young researchers the opportunity to attend a Ph.D. course in Theory & History of Education, as well as Excellence courses or any other initiatives (organized by other scientific institutions) which concern topics of interest for the Centre.

Sections

Mission