The Civic Library originated in 1868 from the seizure by the State Treasury - which later ceded it to the Municipality of Catania - of the ancient Library of the Monastery of San Nicolò l’Arena from the first half of the 18th century and from the Libraries of other suppressed Catania religious Congregations. In 1925, the Municipality inherited the library of Baron Antonio Ursino Recupero, containing over 41,000 volumes. Over the years, various bequests and acquisitions have been incorporated. Starting from the middle of the last century, the Library collects, mainly, bibliographical material of local and Sicilian interest, for over 270,000 volumes. The Library also possesses illuminated codices, manuscripts, parchments, incunabula, 16th-century editions, broadsides, drawings, newspapers and periodicals.