Antonio Panizzi
Exiled because of a sentence to death for "Carboneria", Panizzi had as a companion in misfortune the poet Ugo Foscolo and fulfilled many different position inside the British Library in London where he became the "main librarian".
Antonio Panizzi was born in Brescello September 16, 1797, and soon moved to Reggio Emilia where he attended the Jesuits' high school and the Public Library located in the same building: S. Giorgio Palace.
After the high school he attended the College of Law in Parma where he met many and important professors and librarians. In these years he came in contact with Masonry and became very active in it. After degree, he opened his own law office in Brescello, inside his father's house. He was very active in politics and public tasks. After been involved in investigation about Carboneria, he secretly escaped to Lugano first and then to London. Here he met the poet Ugo Foscolo who suggested him to go to Liverpool to teach italian privately.
From 1831 he covered many positions inside the British Library until he became the principal librarian. He invented the famous "91 cataloguing rules", which would be a key point in the development of the librarianship.
He introduced several and important innovations, first of all the design of the famous circular Reading Room inside the British Museum. He became so highly valued to obtain the title of Baronet.
In 1868 he became Senator of the Italian Kingdom and he died in London in 1879.
His bust is still present inside the British Library in London and another one is present in Rome, along Viale dell'Orologio, inside the gardens of Pincio.
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