In a moment in which is difficult to change and to connect past, present and future, the Library of the University of Genova finds a changing context. This work wants to collect some useful material to set the basis of this project of library re-building, following the directions: 1) analysis of professional literature to understand the main debated and interesting issues for a library that needs to set up a new building and new services; 2) history of the Library of the University of Genova and of its possessions to understand the basis of the present transformation; 3) collection of the existing data; 4) survey on users; 5) evaluation of collected data with proper indicators; collection of information on the changing in the cultural arrangement of the city of Genova.