History

The first library of Fara in Sabina was established in 1960; initially housed in private premises, it was moved in 1972 to the Casa Comunale, and later relocated to the Monte Frumentario building, where it remained until 2000.

At the same time, in 1976, due to population growth, a second branch of the library was opened in the fraction of Passo Corese. Thanks to funding from the Lazio Region, it was furnished and the first important volumes were purchased, which laid the foundation of its book collection.

An organizational structure was also created with the hiring of staff dedicated to library services, which boosted activities both at the Fara main library and the Passo Corese branch.

In 1993, thanks to a grant from the Lazio Region, Villa Traversa in Passo Corese was renovated and, upon completion of the works, became the new library headquarters; furthermore, between 2000 and 2001, furniture was purchased and spaces were set up specifically for children aged 0–14 years.

The latest intervention on the building was in 2025, thanks to the Valorizzazione dei luoghi della cultura project by the Ministry of Culture, which included restoration work on the roof, facade, and adjacent garden areas.
But why was Villa Traversa chosen at the time? The building was acquired by the municipality with the intent to recover a property that still today represents the heart of the community. Indeed, many citizens have memories linked to this structure, owned by the Traversa family. It is the community center that symbolically becomes a crossroads of knowledge.

On February 28, 2002, the collections from the Fara in Sabina and Passo Corese libraries were combined, creating a significant book heritage, and the new unified municipal library was inaugurated at Villa Traversa, named after Abate Alano.

Abbot Alano was abbot of the Farfa Abbey from 761 to 769, the year of his death; originally Frankish, he moved with his family to the Rieti area and became a monk. He was learned and very pious, devoted to God and the study of philosophy. Among his major works is a florilegium of homilies taken from the works of the Ancient Fathers for liturgical use, widely used in the Middle Ages.

In 2025, the Abate Alano Municipal Library was selected as one of the five new “Nati per Leggere” (Born to Read) centers in the Lazio Region; moreover, thanks to the work carried out, the municipality received the designation of Città Che Legge (City that read) for 2024–2026.

Since 2025, it has been possible to contribute to the library’s activities by becoming a Civic Volunteer. Volunteering activities are conducted in accordance with the municipal regulations on civic volunteering.