Inside Libreria Internazionale Gilena in Brescia: rare workshop manuals, Ferrari and Mille Miglia monographs, and collectible automotive books since 1957.

Where Gilena is and which contact to use

The bookshop is at Viale Venezia 74, Brescia. Its official bookshop page gives the telephone number +39 030 3776786 and email address libreria@gilena.it. Before visiting, check the opening information there and confirm any particular arrangements you need.

The contact page lists the shop separately from the offices and mail-order operation at Via Bosca del Pomo 37/c, Costa Volpino, in the province of Bergamo. For online-order enquiries it gives ordini@gilena.it and +39 035 970428. If you want to collect a book, ask where it will be held: the office address is not automatically the place to visit the bookshop.

How the business developed its motoring focus

In its account of the business's history, Gilena identifies Pier Luigi Foglieni as its founder. That account dates Gilena Diffusione Libro to 1975 and the opening of the Brescia shop to 2001. These are details published by the business itself, providing context for the bookshop's background.

The shop's presentation mentions workshop manuals, biographies, books about the Mille Miglia and collectors' editions. The useful next step for a reader is to establish what a particular book needs to cover. A book chosen to explore a story and one consulted for a technical detail answer different needs.

Start with the question your book needs to answer

Define the purpose of your search before choosing by cover or marque. The following is editorial advice for preparing an enquiry, rather than a description of a service guaranteed by Gilena.

  • To learn about a model: note the period you are interested in and check the contents for the versions covered.
  • To research technical details or components: identify the model and configuration, then ask whether the book covers the exact subject. A marque's name alone is not enough.
  • For historical research: consider the bibliography, reproduced documents and captions, separating source material from the author's interpretation.
  • For a gift: check language, format and depth as well as the recipient's preferred subject.

If you already know the book, add publisher, year or edition number and an ISBN when available. Some older books have no ISBN; photographs of the cover and title page can help describe what you are seeking. These details reduce confusion between publications with similar titles.

Make a specific enquiry without assuming availability

You might write: “I am looking for an Italian-language history of this model, with coverage of the variants from the period I am researching. I found this title: could you confirm the edition, language and availability? Is it possible to see the contents?”. This is a hypothetical example to adapt, not an enquiry already sent.

For a used or out-of-print copy, ask about condition and any missing material before deciding. Keep the response associated with that particular copy. A general description of a title does not answer a question about the condition of the individual book being offered.

The online catalogue and archive pictures

For prices, availability and terms, use the current listing on Gilena's website and any clarification from the seller. The catalogue screenshots in this article's gallery are archive material. They are not a current price list or confirmation that the illustrated books remain available on the terms shown.

A book can help you frame research or compare information, but it does not by itself authenticate a vehicle's history. For an example of an article organised around documentary sources, see our documentation of Giovanni Michelotti's centenary.

Questions about the Gilena bookshop

Is the bookshop in Brescia or Costa Volpino?

Gilena identifies its shop as being in Brescia. Its contact page lists the Costa Volpino mail-order offices separately. Confirm the appropriate location for what you need.

Do the article's screenshots establish that a book is available?

No. They are archive material. Check the current catalogue and confirm the title, edition and individual copy.

What should I prepare if I cannot remember the full title?

Gather the author, subject, language and any other references you have. A cover photograph may help explain the search, without guaranteeing that the book can be identified or obtained.

Continue with the official Gilena International Motor Books catalogue. Choose a publication for the question it needs to answer, then confirm the details that matter for your purchase or visit with the bookshop.