The word “library” traditionally refers to a collection of BOOKS used for reading or studying, or the building or room in which such a collection is kept. The word derives from the Latin word liber, meaning “ BOOK.”

The Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze (National Central Library of Florence) is a national public library in Florence, the largest in Italy and one of most important in Europe. It is one of the central libraries in Italy, along with the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma and other libraries located in the larger Italian cities.The library owns approximately 6,000,000 printed volumes, 2,689,672 pamphlets, 25,000 manuscripts, 4,000 incunabula, 29,000 editions from the sixteenth century, and over 1,000,000 autographs.The BNCF is located in a building along the Arno River in the quarter of Santa Croce, precisely, in Piazza dei Cavalleggeri.Like all public offices during the Renaissance times, the library was orignally located inside the complex of the Uffizi. In 1935 it was moved to its current location. Construction began in 1911, and the building was designed by the Italian architect Cesare Bazzani and was later expanded by the architect Vincenzo Mazzei. The monumental building has an eclectic style with hints of Liberty.