The group was established in June 2001 with the aim of bringing together those with an interest in Italian Studies to:

• Be a focus of Italian studies in libraries of all kinds
• Cultivate and disseminate information on libraries' holdings and other matters of interest
• Act as a forum for discussion between libraries and users of Italian materials
• Examine the possibilities of co-operation between institutions
• Collaborate with similar library specialist groups

Membership is based mainly in academic libraries with a significant teaching and research commitment in Italian and in national libraries with an Italian dimension in their collections. Other members are either based in specialist institutions, or are individuals with an interest in Italian studies