Angelo Camillo De Meis

On 18 October 1890 Angelo Camillo De Meis sent a letter to the mayor of Chieti, Cesare De Laurentiis, stating his desire to donate part of his books “to our city”. It is probable that the most substantial part of the donation took place after his death; in 1918 it was decided to name the Library after De Meis.
A file of documents kept in the Provincial Library of Chieti contains the inventory of De Meis’ collection and 8 envelopes, along with the confirmation of the purchase of the collection. The books of the collection are not shelved together, but rather distributed in the relative areas throughout the library. The typed inventory, titled Catalogo della biblioteca di A.C. De Meis, is 131 pages long and contains 4,510 volumes divided into three disciplinary areas – medicine, physical and natural sciences; literature and philosophy; history and geography – each of which is then organized by author. The envelopes contain manuscripts found among the books, official documents, autographs, telegrams, condolences for the death of De Meis, 9 brochures and 2 newspapers.