Close-ups

Giorgetta Bonfiglio-Dosio
Archiving, Bibliography and Library Science

What do you teach at Ca’ Foscari? What are your main research interests?
I currently teach "Digital Archiving" in the Master's Degree 05/M at Ca' Foscari.
I started working with archives in 1969 and took a ‘guided’ training path to become an archivist (degree in literature with exams in Law; diploma in archiving, palaeography and diplomatics). Before winning the national competition I taught at the University of Padua. After joining the university as a tenured researcher, I chose a career in Archives Administration, which I concluded as chief archivist in 1994. I returned to the university, first in Udine as a researcher, then in Padua; I was visiting professor from 2000 to 2003 and full professor of archiving from 2003 to 2010. I mainly deal with private family and business archives. Since 2004 I have been the editor of the journal "Archivi” (Archives).

What are your professional references?
Colleagues I share research with, ANAI (Associazione Nazionale Archivistica Italiana - National Association of Italian Archivists), the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, the International Council on Archives.

What has given you the greatest satisfaction in your career?
Coordinating national working groups (especially the one that worked on developing management tools for town hall archives), working within ANAI to regulate the industry, international publishers, being told by students: "Meeting you has changed my life for the better" or "Thank you for passing on not only knowledge, but also enthusiasm and professionalism".

The area you have always wanted to be involved in but have not yet had the opportunity to explore?
I have been lucky enough to work on many things and always with great satisfaction.

What are you most passionate about in your research?
Always being confronted with new issues and ‘daring’ to come up with new solutions.

Have you always known that this was going to be your path?
They recommended it to me when I was 18 and I was wired to follow it. I travelled it with a curious and entrepreneurial mindset.

What do teaching and researching mean to you?
Living fully.

Can you offer any advice to researchers in the early stages of their career?
Researching is hard work, but it is the most beautiful job: never give up on always expanding your knowledge, opening your horizons, building with a critical spirit and creativity.

Last update: 17/04/2024