November 2024
Focus
25th Fiesole Collection Development Retreat
With the support and collaboration of EUI and CLIR, Casalini Libri and Charleston Hub will celebrate the 25th edition of the Fiesole Collection Development Retreat series in Fiesole, Italy, from 7-9 April 2025, hosted by the European University Institute. Join us as we build upon our collective foundations and move towards the next 25 years in a climate of dialogue, participation and partnership, identifying shared strategies to pave the way for a sustainable, multifarious and equitable future in the ever-changing landscape of higher education.June 2024
Il Mulino monographs now available in the Torrossa digital library
As Il Mulino celebrates its 70th anniversary, the respected publisher offers a catalogue of over 2000 monograph titles in ePub format through the Torrossa digital library, spanning almost three decades of its production and including its most recent releases. These titles are now available to academic institutions for purchase and inclusion in their digital collections.With no embargo period, ePub monographs from il Mulino will now be available on release of the print edition, allowing us to offer e-preferred options for these titles within our approval selection and supply service. Contact us to apply this option to your current approval, or to discuss setting up an approval plan for your library.
March 2024
Collaboration with Brepols brings important new content to the Torrossa digital catalogue
Torrossa and Brepols are pleased to announce their new collaboration which brings many of the publisher's most recent publications to the Torrossa Digital Library and Bookstore. The e-books are available both for institutional purchase by libraries and research institutes, and for purchase by individuals for personal use. Over 800 e-books have already been added to the Torrossa catalogue, all published between 2017 and 2023 and covering a range of subjects, from linguistics and literature to history, theology and social sciences. Further additions will be made to the catalogue in the future, as new publications are released in digital format.June 2023
Share Family - The Collaborative Approach to Linked Data and Knowledge Sharing
Working together, we can enhance catalogues, improve the visibility of collections and provide a better user experience for patrons.Libraries, archives and museums hold a vast quantity of data and resources that, until now, have often remained hidden from sight in catalogues and archives. By implementing the BIBFRAME data model and facilitating the interoperability with IFLA LRM and other widely used ontologies, bibliographic information can be transformed into Linked Data, revealing it to a wider audience and encouraging greater engagement with library, archive and museum collections.
Visit the renewed Share Family website at www.share-family.org to discover how to get involved.
June 2023
Talking Linked Data at ALA
Casalini Libri and AtCult are pleased to announce their participation in two important discussions on the subject of Linked Data as part of the 2023 meeting of the American Library Association in Chicago.The Share-VDE Workshop, scheduled for the morning of Monday 26th June, will provide an overview of the Share Family and Virtual Discovery Environment, discussing the advantages of a collaborative approach to linked data and knowledge sharing, showcasing recent advancements in infrastructure, interoperability and tools, and presenting progress reports from its working groups, members of the Share Family who play an active and collaborative role in defining the direction of developments through a constant exchange of ideas and principles that benefit the entire Share community.
We are also delighted to participate as contributors at the Library of Congress BIBFRAME Update, due to take place at 1pm (ET) on Monday 26th June. Tiziana Possemato will address the meeting on the benefits of adopting the BIBFRAME-based entity environment from different perspectives, as she discusses Catering for consortia in the BIBFRAME environment: case histories from the Share Family.
May 2023
PARSIFAL, the new linked data management system and entity discovery platform for bibliographic data
The Roman Union of Ecclesiastical Libraries (URBE) and @CULT announce the release of PARSIFAL, a linked data management system and entity discovery platform designed to facilitate the exchange and interoperability of bibliographic data, increasing the visibility of, and access to, their resources.PARSIFAL responds to the need identified by the Rectors of the Roman Pontifical Universities to equip their institutions' libraries with a highly innovative search engine, bringing together bibliographic data and authority items from the 17 participating URBE libraries of URBE in a dedicated portal that provides a single point of access to the libraries' vast patrimony of resources: the portal counts 2.8 million records to date, and is updated weekly, allowing users to benefit from a streamlined, efficient, research experience, with results enriched by sources from individual catalogues.
March 2023
Exciting new entries to the Torrossa Digital Library
Casalini Libri and Erasmus Boekhandel are pleased to announce a series of agreements with some of Europe's most authoritative and respected academic publishers, for an ever more comprehensive coverage of scholarly publishing from across Europe.The result of a co-ordinated effort and continued investment in the Torrossa Digital Library, the new partnerships confirm the further evolution of the platform, which now offers access to almost 400,000 monographs and over 1000 scholarly e-journals from more than 450 European publishers. The new entries to the Torrossa Digital Library bring to the catalogue a wealth of scholarly material published in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Spain and beyond.
February 2023
Torrossa Reader App: improved, accessible and secure consultation of digital content
Casalini Libri and EDRLab release the new Torrossa Reader application, based on Readium LCP technology, to facilitate the consultation of texts in EPUB format available on the Torrossa platform.The result of ongoing collaboration between Casalini Libri and EDRLab, the new app from Torrossa has been developed using using Readium technologies, particularly Readium LCP, a simple but reliable solution for distributing protected content from EDRLab that supports different business models.
Secure, accessible and easy to use, the app guarantees efficient content protection for publishers, while offering enhanced consultation with personalisable settings for end-users and responding to the requirement for ebook accessibility that is part of the EU Accessibility Directive, coming in force in 2025.
May 2022
Torrossa platform conforms to international accessibility standards
Following the announcement in 2021 of the collaboration between Casalini Libri and the LIA Foundation for Accessible Italian Books, we are now delighted to report that the Torrossa web platform has been made accessibile, in conformity with internationally recognized requirements for rendering Web content and reading solutions as accessible as possible for people with disabilities.Torrossa is compatible with the most recent versions of principal browsers and screen readers; in addition, Casalini Libri is also working to implement a new content reader, based on an open-source solution of the Readium LCP, to further facilitate accessible reading for e-content. An additional objective is to make it possible for alternative descriptions of the images in the titles to be read in line with the text, using the screen-reader.
February 2022
Torrossa Digital Library expands exponentially with thousands of European research publications
More than 100 new publishers joined the platform in 2021, delivering a 400% increase in the academic content on offer to institutions.Casalini Libri and Erasmus Boekhandel are delighted to announce the success of the first phase of their joint investment to amplify and strengthen the coverage of publishing from across Europe in the Torrossa digital library.
In the first year of this investment, the digital library has expanded fourfold, with a substantial part of the growth coming from independent publishers and international groups publishing in English and French languages, as well as a significant increase in full-text content from Italian and Spanish publishers, traditionally at the core of the library's digital collections.
September 2021
Share-VDE 2.0 entity-based discovery platform
Casalini Libri and @Cult announce the release of the Share-VDE 2.0 linked data management system and entity discovery platform, a pioneering and effective environment that uses linked data to connect and present authoritative data from a growing network of libraries. Share-VDE 2.0 aims to facilitate the exchange and reuse of bibliographic data, at the same time increasing the visibility of and enabling wider access to knowledge.A collaborative effort, initially undertaken as a research & development project, in 2016 Share-VDE has evolved to become both a real and effective pilot environment influenced by the vision of the LD4P initiatives for the practical application of Linked Open Data for the LAM domain, and progressively an authoritative linked data node. By implementing the BIBFRAME data model and incorporating Share-VDE adaptations, Share-VDE enriches, reconciles, clusterizes and converts the authority and bibliographic MARC data of participant libraries in a dynamic, discoverable format, providing a reliable and up-to-date source of data complete with a set of advanced tools and services that also facilitate interoperability with IFLA LRM.
The explanation of position of Share-VDE is outlined in the Share-VDE Statement.
April 2021
Online teaching material in the Torrossa Digital Library
Casalini Libri has opened a new sales and distribution channel for academic content in e-book format, making texts available in Torrossa with the specific aim of supporting distance learning.We have always believed in digital innovation as a complementary format to paper; now, more than ever, we are convinced that the digital format can assist in allowing publications to be accessed by all those who need them to carry out study and research.
Over forty publishers have already joined the initiative and more are expected to pledge their participation during this year. Valuable, constructive and ongoing collaboration with institutions in identifying the titles of greatest interest means that Torrossa is continually enriched with new content.
March 2021
Casalini Libri and Fondazione LIA for Accessibility
True to its mission to support the dissemination of culture, Casalini Libri has, through the years, provided increasingly advanced tools to facilitate access to academic research and cultural content for scholars from all over the world. Since the early 2000s its Digital Division and Torrossa platform have offered libraries and institutions the possibility to consult academic texts in the Humanities and Social Sciences in digital format.In the context of the overall renewal of our technological infrastructure, Casalini Libri has recently embarked on an important collaboration with the LIA Foundation for Accessible Italian Books in order to achieve and ensure full compliancy with the European Accessibility Act when it comes into force in 2025.
Casalini Libri web developers and programmers have already begun specialised training with the LIA team of accessible publishing and assistive technologies in order to adapt the Torrossa platform to conform with accessibility standards by the end of 2021, referring to internationally recognized requirements for rendering Web content and reading solutions as accessible as possible.
Full details are available at the accessible and constantly updated web page www.casalini.it/accessibility.asp
February 2021
Torrossa Digital Library: wider horizons for extended coverage
Casalini Libri and Erasmus Boekhandel welcome prestigious international publishers to the Torrossa Digital Library, enhancing its catalogue with high quality French and English language digital content.Well known as an important source for digital publications in the Humanities and Social Science from Italy and the Vatican City, Spain and Portugal, Torrossa now considerably extends its coverage. A result of the recently established collaboration and increasingly fruitful synergy between Casalini Libri and Erasmus Boekhandel, new agreements have been defined with several prominent publishers from France, the Netherlands, the UK, United States and further afield.
Over twenty imprints join more than 300 publishers already hosted on the platform, with in excess of 20,000 e-books added to the catalogue in the first few months of collaboration and yet more to come.
November 2020
Casalini Libri and @Cult
Casalini Libri joins forces with its historic partner @Cult, a software house based in Rome and specializing in the design and development of solutions for information management and knowledge sharing. The union both strengthens and furthers the Casalini mission to promote the dissemination of culture through increasingly advanced services to libraries, institutions and publishers.Aware of the changes required by digital transformation and committed to providing solutions, @Cult responds perfectly to the operational needs of the new Casalini - Erasmus - Houtschild group. It is therefore natural that it should become the new centre for research and development within the company, at the same time guaranteeing maximum autonomy and enhancing professional skills, to the benefit of all those who work and collaborate with Casalini Libri.
June 2020
Access.torrossa.com: Our new Digital Library now online
Torrossa Digital Library receives a newly restyled and enhanced interface as part of an ongoing investment in technological innovation and improving user experience.The new look and improved digital library aims to provide the best possible tools and user experience to all our collaborators, customers and library patrons.April 2020
Casalini Libri, Erasmus Antiquariaat en Boekhandel, Houtschild Internationale Boekhandel
As we all continue to deal with this particularly challenging situation, we would like to share a moment of positivity with some exciting news. Casalini Libri has acquired, along with Mr. Dirk Raes, the Dutch based companies Erasmus Antiquariaat en Boekhandel (with offices in Amsterdam and Paris) and Houtschild Internationale Boekhandel.December 2019
Penn Libraries Partners with Casalini Libri, @Cult to Develop Linked-Data Discovery Interface
In tandem with Casalini Libri and @Cult, the Penn Libraries is developing an experimental system based on the Share-Virtual Discovery Environment (Share-VDE) project which will be available in mid 2020.October 2019
Available soon on Torrossa: Biblioteca dell'«Archivum Romanicum»
Thanks to the latest chapter in Leo S. Olschki's ongoing digitization project, the complete collections of the long-established and respected monographic series Biblioteca dell'«Archivum Romanicum» will soon be available in electronic format in the Torrossa Digital Library.June 2019
Award of the Laurea magistrale ad honorem to Michele Casalini
It is with both enormous pride and great pleasure that our CEO, Michele Casalini, has accepted from the University of Florence an honorary degree celebrating his dedication and contribution to the field of Library and Information Science.March 2019
Advancements to our Torrossa Digital Library and Bookstore
True to our mission of investing in technological innovation to provide the best possible services to libraries and publishers, we have recently begun a significant undertaking to upgrade and improve access to the electronic resources available on Torrossa. A renewed and reystyled platform, in turn, allows us to further enhance the range of content available in our digital library and bookstore.October 2018
Torrossa Digital Library: autumn update
We are pleased to announce new publications by the prestigious publishers Carocci, Leo S.Olschki, Franco Angeli, Fabrizio Serra and Iberoamericana.October 2018
Casalini Libri Linked Data services
As one of the major bibliographic agencies for data regarding European publications, Casalini Libri is particularly interested in Linked Data and the opportunities that this method of publishing structured data provides for widening the dissemination and increasing the discoverability of bibliographic data.In recent years we have been an active participant in discussions on Linked Data, metadata standards and BIBFRAME both in the US and Europe.October 2018
Law content on Torrossa
Specialist e-books and e-journals from prestigious Italian and Spanish publishers.June 2018
Olschki e-journals - La Parola del Passato now available on Torrossa
The complete archive of La Parola del Passato journal, from 1946 to 2014, is now available on Torrossa thanks to the latest digitisation effort by Leo S. Olschki publishing house.May 2018
Torrossa Digital Library: Spring update
The Torrossa platform provides visibility, distribution support and technology to academic publishers, while simplifying purchasing, licensing and access for institutions.January 2018
Fiesole Collection Development Retreat 2018
The theme for this edition, the 20th in the series, is "Serving Learning and Scholarship". The 2018 Fiesole Retreat will once again examine new technologies and service models, as well as issues in collection development and librarianship.October 2017
Torrossa Digital Library: Autumn update
New collections are now available from Olschki, including all 2016 titles, and a new set of 150 titles from Iberoamericana. We are also pleased to announce that we have signed new agreements with several publishers such as: CPL - Centro Primo Levi; Inschibboleth edizioni; Edizioni Epoké; Passigli Editori; Silex ediciones.June 2017
Casalini Libri is an ISNI Registration Agency
On March 1, 2017 Casalini Libri became an ISNI Registration Agency, with the scope to contribute data to the central ISNI database, provide ISNI related services to organisations and users in the information chain, as well as to support data enrichment and procedures for the reconciliation of entities.May 2017
Shibboleth now available on Torrossa Platform
We are pleased to announce that Shibboleth is now available on the Torrossa platform, widening the range of access options to the platform for libraries and their users.April 2017
EURIG annual meeting 2017
The annual meeting of EURIG 2017 in Florence and Fiesole will examine current demands in the application of RDA and possible challenges for the future.April 2017
Leo S. Olschki on Torrossa - Titles published in 2016
The Leo S. Olschki publishing house has now released the electronic editions of a further 52 monographs, published during 2016. These titles join essential sources of material for researchers of Literature, Art, History, Classical Studies, Music and Bibliography already present on the Torrossa platform, encompassing the publisher's entire catalogue from 2000 to 2016.April 2017
Torrossa Spring Update 2017
Some of the most prominent and historical Italian publishers will become available on Torrossa in the next few months, including Adelphi, Baldini e Castoldi, Bollati Boringhieri, Bompiani, Donzelli, Gangemi, Garzanti, Giuffré, Laterza, Marsilio, Ponte alle Grazie, Rosenberg & Sellier and UTET.March 2017
Fiesole Collection Development Retreat 2017
The 2017 Fiesole Retreat will examine the theme of "The Evolving Scholarly Environment", discussing new technologies and business models, as well as the re-emerging role of collection development and librarianship in the continuing digital evolution of the scholarly ecosystem.January 2017