About us

Biblioteca Comunale Planettiana was founded in 1859, when Marquise Angelo Ghislieri decided to donate his book collection to his native town “to start a library that became fundamental to acquire more knowledge and therefore to be useful to society”; thus, the first nucleus of the Library was established, later enriched with numerous acquisitions, including the donation from the Pianetti family.

The Pianettis were a noble family from Jesi who, since the early 18th century, left their book collection for public use. Its cultural importance is given not only by the span of time it covers (from the 15th to the 19th century), but also by the prestige of the family.

Since the 1500s even the convents in Jesi had their own book collections. Following the Valerio decree of 1861, regarding the suppression of religious congregations, in 1868 the municipality absorbed the libraries of four different convents: Franciscan of S. Floriano, Zoccolanti of S. Francesco al Monte, Capuchins and Carmelites of the Sanctuary delle Grazie. The appropriation of these collections brought to the Public Library more than 6,000 volumes, especially from the 17th and the 18th century.

At the beginning of the 1900s, the Library received a donation from the Pianetti family: more than 15,000 volumes as manuscripts, incunables and cinquecentine (books from the 16th century). After acquiring this precious collection, the Library was given the name “Planettiana”.

Initially hosted in the Town Hall and the desecrated church of S. Floriano, the Institute was finally transferred in 1948 at Palazzo della Signoria, one of the most beautiful Reinassance monuments in Jesi.