Context : Measurements of lithium ( Li ) abundances in open clusters provide a unique tool for following the evolution of this element with age , metallicity , and stellar mass .
In spite of the plethora of Li data already available , the behavior of Li in solar–type stars has so far been poorly understood .

Aims : Using FLAMES/Giraffe on the VLT , we obtained spectra of 157 candidate members of the old , metal–poor cluster Berkeley 32 , to determine membership and to study the Li behavior of confirmed members .

Methods : Radial velocities were measured , allowing us to derive both the cluster velocity and membership information for the sample stars .
The Li abundances were obtained from the equivalent width of the Li i 670.8 nm feature , using curves of growth .

Results : We obtained an average radial velocity of 105.2 \pm 0.86 km/s , and 53 % of the stars have a radial velocity consistent with membership .
The Li – T _ { eff } distribution of unevolved members matches the upper envelope of M 67 , as well as that of the slightly older and more metal-rich NGC 188 .
No major dispersion in Li is detected .
When considering the Li distribution as a function of mass , however , Be 32 members with solar-like temperature are less massive and less Li-depleted than their counterparts in the other clusters .
The mean Li of stars in the temperature interval 5750 \leq T _ { eff } \leq 6050 K is \log n ( Li ) = 2.47 \pm 0.16 , less than a factor of two below the average Li of the 600 Myr old Hyades , and slightly above the average of intermediate age ( 1–2 Gyr ) clusters , the upper envelope of M67 , and NGC 188 .
This value is comparable to or slightly higher than the plateau of Pop . ii stars .
The similarity of the average Li abundance of clusters of different age and metallicity , along with its closeness to the halo dwarf plateau , is very intriguing and suggests that , whatever the initial Li abundance and the Li depletion histories , old stars converge to almost the same final Li abundance .

Conclusions :