Culture & Civic Life
The American Library in Paris
The largest English-language lending library in continental Europe has served as a cultural and artistic hub for more than a century and hosts pro...
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Opened to the public in 1992, Bibliothèque National de France (BnF) is a repository housing all works published in France along with extensive historic collections. The BnF traces its roots to the royal library established by King Charles V at Louvre Palace in 1368. Today, the library is home to the world's largest collection of medieval and modern manuscripts, including 5,000 of Ancient Greek origins.
The BnF's work is driven by two goals: to collect, catalog, and preserve France's national heritage through published documents, and to ensure public access to its vast collections. It operates five public and online sites as well as reading rooms, research centers, and foreign language learning laboratories. Further, the BnF hosts temporary exhibitions, symposia, concerts, conferences, and a plethora of other cultural and educational programming activities throughout the year.
Acquisition – Marcel Proust's L'Agenda, 1906
Acquisition – Saint Catherine Manuscript
General Operating Support