Terrible Panizzi: Patriotism and Realism of the Prince of Librarians

This article deals with the figure of Antonio Panizzi, considered as an Italian patriot and English librarian. It highlights the constant attention he devoted to the Italian political events throughout his life: from his arrival in London (1823) as a political exile, to his informal ambassador in United Kingdom, a role that allowed him to lobby the political class and the press on behalf of the cause of Italian patriots forced in the prisons of Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The article describes the multifaceted library activity carried out by Panizzi at the British Museum Library, of which he became Principal Librarian in 1856. Panizzi became the author of a revolution in the methodology employed in cataloging description with his “91 Rules for the Compilation of the Catalogue” published in 1841. Panizzi was the first to unite the works of a single author under a unique form of his (or her) name and he made provision for the possibility of multiple ways to access cataloging registers. He introduced (or consolidated) the concept of literary unity (however, with some limitations), and he laid down the precise order of the descriptive elements that are required for a basic catalog entry (author, title, editor, place of publication, etc.). Panizzi is considered to be the first Promethean Librarian of the 19th century, a great reformer with new ideas on library services, innovative methodologies, and working practices in librarianship. Panizzi rigorously carried out the activity of librarian at the British Library without ever forgetting the need for a free, unified, and democratic Italian State. Great Pan should be remembered not only for his library work, but also because he placed the liberation of his native Italy at the center of his life. Cavour wrote his own tribute that is quoted on Panizzi’s monument at Brescello (Reggio Emilia, Italy, his birthplace.