Rushed scholars grumble over Vatican Library's reconstruction closure

Published: 2007-07-06

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI was only one of hundreds of scholars making a rushed visit to the Vatican Library in late June and early July. The library was set to close its doors July 14 and remain closed for a three-year emergency reconstruction project, which also gives the Vatican an opportunity to do some major remodeling. Alessia Guardasole, a researcher with the National Center for Scientific Research in France, studies ancient Greek texts. She said she only found out about the three-year closure in May and had to rearrange her study plans. "I was planning to come here in the fall and then come back twice a year for the next two years. I'm only here for two days; I have to get as much as possible done in two days," she said June 27, two days after Pope Benedict visited the stacks. Since the closure was announced in April, the library has almost doubled from 48 to 92 the number of scholars it allows into its reading room at any one time, said Ambrogio Piazzoni, vice prefect of the library. "Still, we are having a hard time accommodating all the requests," he said July 5.

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