"The library's growth essentially was due to fourteen great donations given during the 19th century. In 1965, Frédéric Sabatier d'Espeyran left to the library 668 books of artists and about 200 bound editions signed by the most important binders of the era. In 1992 the city acquired an important collection of manuscripts of the writer Joseph Delteil. The two last patrimonial collections complemented the riches of the fonds régional. The library also receives the copyright deposit copies of printers and publishers (books only) of the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
"A new central library of 15,000m2 was opened on October 28, 2000, providing a resource center for youth literature, a forum for meetings, a library of music and dance, a library of sciences and of leisure, a department of patrimony and reseach, a service for the visually handicapped, and a department of image and movement at the Médiathèque Fellini (2300m2).
"The system is completed by the Médiathèques Victor Hugo, Jean-Jacques Rousseau et Federico Garcia-Lorca, by the local libraries (Simone de Beauvoir, Paul Langevin et Jean-Paul Sartre) and by two bibliobusses. This organization fills the need for a municipal library which has a regional mission." [tr. JK]
"Aujourd'hui, 15 lieux disséminés dans les différents quartiers de la commune accueillent la lecture publique et proposent, en prêt gratuit, quelques 135.000 volumes pour adultes, 119.000 pour enfants, et en consultation sur place, 5.300 ouvrages adultes et 2.600 enfants.
"Un fonds musical particulièrement important a été constitué et est disponible dans 6 discothèques."
W3: "Une découverte des collections de la Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal à travers le dossier Gallica / Anthologie des
collections" -- Gallica's digital library selections of works from the Arsenal collections.
http://gallica.bnf.fr/anthologie/page.asp?T2-2-2-ARS.htm
W3: "Un descriptif de la salle de lecture de la Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal" -- Photographs and descriptions of the
reading rooms of the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal
http://www.bnf.fr/pages/connaitr/ars_salle.htm
W3: (catalog) http://catalogue.bnf.fr
"The collections of the Arsenal originated with the library of the Marquis de Paulmy, installed in 1757 in the residence of the Grands Maîtres de l'Artillerie, in the heart of the old Arsenal de Paris founded by François Ier, rebuilt by Sully, and enlarged during the 18th c. by Boffrand.
"Antoine René d'Argenson, the Marquis de Paulmy (1722-1787), already had assembled a magnificent and encyclopedic collection, one rich in medieval manuscripts and prints. In 1786 he enlarged this with a part of the collection of the Duc de la Vallière, prior to selling the entire library to the Comte d'Artois.
"Nationalized by the Révolution, the collection stayed in its location. Enriched with numerous and often valuable volumes, nationalized from the great abbeys of Paris, and with the archives of the Bastille, the Arsenal was declared a public library on 5 floréal an V (April 28, 1797).
"The library's real fame began with the arrival of the writer Charles Nodier (1824), who presided over a literary salon of high reputation there until his death. Throughout the 19th c., the collections turned increasingly toward literature, particularly the theater, thanks to obtaining the copyright deposit, for plays in 1837, and for history... From 1880 to 1914, the library received a copy of every Parisian periodical...
"Today the Arsenal's acquisitions policy concentrates on,
"The current Arsenal collection is estimated to contain 1 million volumes, over 12,000 manuscripts, 100,000 prints, and 3000 maps and plans."
"The Arsenal" long has been a place for "literary evenings" -- and it seems it still makes those a priority, revolutions and construction projects notwithstanding --
"'From 1819 to 1824, under the double influence of both André Chénier and his 'Méditations', in reaction to the masterpieces of Byron and of Scott, echoing the cries emanating from Greece, fortified by the religious and monarchical illusions of the Restoration, a collection of 'préludes' took form, dominated by a sort of vague melancholy, idealistic, chivalrous in tone and with an often exquisite overlay of precise detail...' [Sainte-Beuve]
"The Toulousains, the tender Soumet, the petulant Guiraud of the red hair and Gascon accent, were the first to establish the tone; Emile Deschamps proposed the creation of a group and the founding of a review. That was 'La Muse française', a reunion of distinguished young men and women, too distinguished, lovers of poetry, royalists by tradition, 'Christians by convenience and vague sentiment' [Sainte-Beuve again].
"Each addressed the other by his or her given name: 'Alfred', 'Emile', 'Gaspard', or 'Victor'... The beautiful Delphine Gay was 'Delphine', to all. But when Jules de Rességuier, the most "troubador" among these "troubadors", buttered up to Victor Hugo for permission to call his wife 'Adèle', 'the young [he was 20] and grave poet refused'. Familiarity was not his forté.
"The true center of the cenacle of 'La Muse française' quickly became the good Nodier, and the meeting place initially his parlor at rue de Provence, then, from January 1 1824, the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal...
"On Sundays, the salon lit up the Arsenal. One entered a lively working windmill: there was Séverin Taylor, born at Brussels of English parents, a French officer, friend of Vigny and favorite of the powerful; there Sophie and Delphine Gay, the latter radiant as the daylight and baptised 'La Muse française'; and Soumet, enjoying two great triumphs at the theater, 'the two most beautiful tragedies of the era', Hugo called them...; Guiraud, celebrated for his 'Petit Savoyard; Alfred de Vigny and GAspard de Pons, in uniform regal blue; and of course the Deschamps brothers, and the giant Adolphe de Saint-Valry...
"From eight until ten, they chatted. Nodier, standing at the chimney, would begin a recitation: memoirs of youth or a fantasy tale. Growing animated, he would become eloquent. Then a literary discussion would open: 'André Chénier has gone too far,' Victor Hugo would declare, 'his verse, with its interruptions and run-ons, no longer is musical, and poetry above all is song'. Nodier would protest: 'Chénier is romantic in his own way, which isn't so bad... There are no fixed rules in art.' Emile Deschamps, smiling, his fine lips revealing his elegant teeth, would intervene: 'You'll come back to that, Victor...'
"At the stroke of 10, Marie Nodier seating herself at the piano and the conversations ceasing: chairs pushed against the wall, and everyone dancing... Vigny, pale and delicate, waltzing with Delphine Gay. The serious men, among them the young Hugo, continuing the discussion over in a corner in a low voice. Mme. Victor Hugo, her 'spanish eyes' suddenly animated, dancing, and her husband, from time to time, throwing her a troubled look..."
-- André Maurois, Olympio, ou La Vie de Victor Hugo (Hachette, 1954) p. 113-115. [tr. JK]
The 19th c. French library: much of the folly and the grandeur, both, of the Grand European Era, all in a single image, with the Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal playing its vital & central part...
Visit the Arsenal: imagine the "intense discussion" -- 20-yr-old Victor Hugo, over in the corner -- and the dancing...
Order :
L'arsenal
romantique. le salon de charles nodier (1824-1834).
Medic@ : Collection de rééditions de textes anciens
http://www.bium.univ-paris5.fr/histmed/medica.htm
Catalogue général
Thèses
Fonds ancien
Revues d'histoire de la médecine
Ouvrages acquis récemment
Banque d'images et portraits
Biographies
"Cette exposition a été réalisée autour d’un manuscrit inédit de Jules Cloquet (1790-1883), relatant son voyage en Italie d’avril à juin 1837.
"Eminent chirurgien et professeur à la Faculté de médecine de Paris, Jules Cloquet entreprit ce voyage dans un but essentiellement touristique, comme le montre le contenu de son journal, très axé sur la description des lieux qu’il visite et sur ses impressions.
"Malgré tout, le regard du médecin reste présent à travers certaines remarques sur la santé et l’hygiène des populations et le récit de visites à des malades. Ce manuscrit est d’autant plus précieux qu’il est abondamment illustré de dessins à la plume aquarellés, qui donnent vie au récit. A présent, suivez le guide…"
"Le mot de " frontispice " s’appliqua d’abord à l’architecture, et sa définition n’est pas facile à établir : façade principale d’un édifice, en particulier religieux, ou certaines des parties de cette façade, voire simple motif de décoration confondu quelquefois encore avec le fronton…
"Aujourd’hui, " frontispice " ne s’emploie plus guère que dans le domaine du livre ancien, où il recouvre là aussi plusieurs réalités différentes :
"Les retards dans les évacuations des blessés, imputables à l'absence d'anticipation, de préparation et d'expérience du Service de Santé face à la guerre moderne, ont pour les blessés au visage de lourdes conséquences. Aux complications immédiates, hémorragies et asphyxie, les blessés maxillo-faciaux se trouvent confrontés à deux types de complications secondaires : les constrictions et les pseudarthroses des mâchoires (consolidation en mauvaise position des fractures). La plupart des blessés au visage présentaient à leur arrivée dans les hôpitaux spécialisés, situés à l'arrière du front, ces types de complications..."
"L’herbier manuscrit de Paolo Boccone est aujourd’hui conservé dans le manuscrit 2039 (olim 27) du fonds ancien de la BIUM. ..."
"The BnF in numbers. The Bibliothèque Nationale de France collects not only books and periodicals but also manuscripts, prints, drawings, photographs, music scores, sound records, cassettes, maps and plans, money, medals, and costumes and theater decor... all of the information relevant to knowledge and all of the media used to store and present it.
"Over 13 million books and other printed items, 250,000 volumes of manuscripts, 350,000 volumes of periodicals, approximately 12 million prints and photographs and posters, over 800,000 maps and plans, 2 million music scores and other music items, 1 million sound documents, tens of thousands of videos and multimedia documents, 530,000 pieces of money and medallions... such are the current totals of the collections of the library." [tr.JK]
Imprimés
Périodiques
Microformes
Textes numérisés: 100,000 ouvrages
Audiovisuel
Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal
Arts du spectacle
To connect: from the main catalogs page, above, beneath "BN-Opaline" click on "Consulter" and then select a "Collection" -- shortcuts to both BN-Opale Plus and BN-Opaline also are provided on the BnF home page, http://www.bnf.fr --
| Images | Notices | Collections |
| 50,118 | Arts du spectacle | |
| 15,514 | 293,520 | Cartes et plans |
| 62,155 | Cinéma | |
| 10,666 | 249,886 | Estampes et photographie |
| 87,217 | Manuscrits littéraires français 20e siècle | |
| 669 | 18,871 | Monnaies, médailles et antiques |
| 8,394 | 113,415 | Musique |
| 35,243 | 875,182 | totals |
"The Western and Eastern collections of the Département des Manuscrits hold several hundreds of thousands of miniatures, making it the best-endowed museum of medieval painting in the world. By virtue of their great variety and their iconographic interest, these images also comprise a veritable visual encyclopedia of their times.
"Mandragore, an iconographic database developed by the Centre de Recherche sur les Manuscrits Enluminés, has undertaken a complete cataloging of the collections. Currently it offers an analysis of 80,000 images indexed according to a thesaurus of 15,000 descriptive terms. For each image it retrieves the caption, category, indexing terms, and inscriptions, as well as the author's name and the title of a manuscript, the place and date of production, and often the name of artist. Simple or multi-criteria interrogation of a standardized index, using criteria lists, offers numerous access points to records for manuscripts and illuminations, of which 7,500 now may be consulted in digital formats." [tr.JK]
"The BnF offers fulltext access to over two thousand ejournals, from all disciplines. These periodicals comprise:
http://www.bnf.fr/pages/catalog/gd_accueil.htm
"Les étapes d'’une recherche documentaire efficce... Guide à l'usage des débutants..."
In descending order by year of publication: and very "selected" -- there are so many books and countless articles available, on this magnificent place, that the magnificence tends to get obscured in the paper shuffle. Someone seeking simply an overview is unlikely to obtain that easily from any one source.
A recent problem has been that the BN recently has been changing, radically, transforming itself from a BN into a BNbis and then a TGB and then a BdeF and then a BNdeF with a BFM...: and this particular forest of acronyms spans and to some extent symbolizes a period of great changes in the nature of librarianship, and of information access and behavior -- changes which have transformed the several professions and activities which this ancient institution now tries to serve.
So I have added a few annotations, in an attempt to indicate which resources I have found most useful myself -- nobody has read them all -- and to indicate a "pathfinder" which others might find useful too, in at least dipping into this massive literature, whatever eventual paths each reader then might take after an initial introduction. The intention here is to assist any researcher, French or foreign, interested in the BN either simply as an institution, or as a controversy, or as a representative of unique approaches to the management of print and digital and other forms of information...
There is a lot here. The history of the Bibliothèque Nationale is to some extent a history of France itself, and that is a long and complicated story -- and since its earliest beginnings France has treasured the written word, and the story of that treasuring is in large part the story of the BN.
Among items published recently, it is useful to remember that the great project -- literally so-labeled and grouped among the recent "grands travaux" of central Paris -- to find a new home for the outgrown BN premises at the rue Richelieu, is the central concern of most materials on the BN published during the 1990s...
Locations and call numbers have not been included. Nor have the many fine multimedia presentations which have been produced on the BnF and its history: many of these are cataloged by the BnF itself, at the address shown below. So, "see also", inter much alia --
Publisher's description:
La BNF, un grand projet mitterrandien. La TGB, un projet représentatif jusqu'à la caricature des défauts et du génie français. Prendre du recul, expliquer ce qui marche et ce qui ne marche pas et expliquer pourquoi. Les faits sont sévères. La prétention française, son arrogance mais aussi les coups du sort et les traits de génie sont ici relatés. Le livre fait le récit, précis et dépassionné, de tous les débats et affrontements de cette délicate gestation. Il ne cache rien des aberrations de construction, du flottement architectural, des choix sans réflexion. La nouvelle Bibliothèque nationale de France n'est pas du tout le produit annoncé, elle coûte beaucoup plus cher que ce qui eût été possible... et pourtant elle tourne ! Au-delà des difficultés apparues lors de la période de rodage, on découvre les véritables qualités mais aussi les défauts de cet immense outil culturel. Arrivé au terme de l'histoire, on se pose avec l'auteur l'angoissante question finale : à l'heure de la révolution numérique, était-ce bien cette bibliothèque-là qu'il fallait réaliser ?
[tr. JK] "The BNF, a 'Grand Project' of President Mitterand... La TGB / Très Grande Bibliothèque / 'Very Big Library, irony intended', a project representing to the point of caricature both the failings and the genius of the French... Looking back, explaining what happened and what didn't, and explaining why... Extraordinary events. French pretensions, their arrogance but also their successes and their trace of genius, are related here. The book tells the story, precisely and dispassionately, of all the debates and confrontations of this delicate negotiation. It hides none of the construction aberrations, of the architectural flux, of the decisions made without thinking. The new Bibliothèque Nationale de France is nowhere near what the original idea was, as-announced, she costs far more than anyone thought possible... and, yet, she works! In spite of the birth-pains, now one sees both the great qualities and also the faults of this immense cultural tool. Arriving at the end of the story, one asks along with the author the anxious final question: in this hour of the Digital Revolution, is this the library which should have been built?"
Bookseller's description:
Institution vieille de plus de cinq siècles, la Bibliothèque nationale de France a vécu ces dernières années une véritable révolution. La décision prise en 1998 par François Mitterrand d'édifier une bibliothèque « ouverte à tous » l'a conduite à élargir ses missions et à ne plus réserver ses collections au seul public de chercheurs. Le site Richelieu, déjà trop à l'étroit, ne pouvait plus répondre à cette demande. Il fallait un bâtiment nouveau. Le site de Tolbiac est choisi, ouvrant un énorme chantier qui bouleverse l'Est de Paris. rarement construction de bibliothèque aura fait couler autant d'encre. Les polémiques sont nombreuses, le coût et l'ampleur des travaux font peur, les tours de verre étonnent. Mais la construction est menée tambour battant et le déménagement de plus de 10 millions de livres s'effectue dans l'ordre le plus parfait. Aujourd'hui la BNF après avoir réparti ses extraordinaires collections sur deux grands sites, a trouvé un nouvel équilibre.
[tr. JK]"The institution is over 500 years old: the Bibliothèque nationale de France in its most recent years has achieved a veritable revolution. The decision made in 1998 by François Mitterrand to build a library 'open to all' led to an enlarging of its mission and the end of reserving its collections only to specialized researchers. The Richelieu site, already too crowded, could not respond to such demands. A new building was needed. The Tolbiac site was chosen, creating a new project which threw open the entire eastern quarter of Paris. Rarely has so much ink been spilled over the construction of a library. The polemics were many, the cost and great size of the project created fears, the glass towers gave delight. But the construction work kept on, and the move of over 10 million books was accomplished in perfect order. Today the BNF, after dividing its extraordinary collections between two grand sites, has achieved a new equilibrium."
This is a "tirade", in typical Parisian fashion -- think of the wonderful
"tirade du nez" which Cyrano launches upon the snooty but ultimately hapless
nobleman in Rostand's play --
Ah ! non ! c'est un peu court, jeune homme !
On pouvait dire... Oh ! Dieu !... bien des choses en somme...
En variant le ton, -par exemple, tenez:
Agressif : "Moi, monsieur, si j'avais un tel nez,
Il faudrait sur-le-champs que je me l'amputasse !"
Amical : "Mais il doit tremper dans votre tasse
Pour boire, faites-vous fabriquer un hanap !"
Descriptif : "C'est un roc !... c'est un pic !... c'est un cap !
Que dis-je, c'est un cap ?... C'est une péninsule !"
...
In the present case the tirade is launched upon the initially-dodgy but ultimately completed, and I myself believe highly successful, Bibliothèque Nationale de France and particularly its Bibliothèque François Mitterrand at Tolbiac. Still, the book makes very useful reading, for anyone wishing to evoke the temper of the times, and the controversies and passions, which surrounded the Great Change of transforming the old BN into the new BNdeF. Other documents attest as well -- there were many such "tirades" -- I will try to locate, and include here, the wonderful accounts in Le Débat (see next entry, below, and PNora) of the "revolt of the historians", no less, who in a concerted campaign and single session at the Opéra Bastille succeeded in lopping off a few floors of the new project's tall towers. Historians are revered, in France.
And I love the name of this guy's publisher... "Encyclopédie des nuisances"...
Fascinating subject, for anyone interested in the history of the BN, or of French reading, or of reading generally, or of books generally, or of censorship or of society or of many other things... The famous "enfer" was where, for a long time, the BN held its "dirty books": the much-lampooned procedure being that, if you wanted to read them, you had to make the request of a be-spectacled librarian who then would announce your intention, precisely and loudly, to the assembled throng -- your plea having been, "Please, madame, may I see the dirty books?..." -- also, per a Supreme Court decision rendered only recently [US v. ALA, 539 U.S. ___, (2003)], the procedure now apparently for all Internet access in US libraries, as well... see,
A problem well worth intensive study by all concerned... particularly the pictures... At least, in the US, national Supreme Court dicta has settled once and for all the thorny question of what is and what is not to be consigned to Index Librorum Prohibitorum status: Justice Potter Stewart's famous statement, "I can't define pornography, but I know it when I see it"... [Jacobellis v. Ohio, 378 U.S. 184 (1964) (Stewart, J., concurring)].
An exhibition catalog: not normally included in a history bibliography, but in this case a beautifully-done catalog describing the greatest treasures of the BN collections -- useful sometimes, in researching the detailed history of an institution, to remember why they bothered...
-- reviewed in my FYI France ejournal, January 15 1996 issue:
http://www.fyifrance.com/restricted/Fyarch/fy960115.htm
