Mapping Activities of Artists in the Past: A Bibliometric Study of the Library of the Scandinavian Association in Rome until 1870

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the library collection at the Scandinavian Association in Rome. Data were gathered from the library catalog and then submitted to frequency and co-occurrence analyses. By examining keywords, authors, and the language of the books found in the library, we were able to draw conclusions about its role as a social rather than an academic institution, with the additional function of helping the SAR members find their way around in the city of Rome and to its historical sites. The bibliometric analyses proved useful in analyzing the function of the library and, to some extent, the general context of the library and the association. At the same time, they cannot be said to be useful for creating cognitive maps such as those being made in analyses of scientific fields.