Chapter XII: Front Matter (12)

The earliest libraries formed were in connexion with educational institutions, and the oldest is that of Harvard (1638). It was destroyed by fire in 1764, but active steps were at once taken for its restoration. From that time to the present, private donations have been the great resource of the library. In 1840 the collection was removed to Gore Hall, erected for the purpose with a noble bequest from Christopher Gore (1758-1829), formerly governor of Massachusetts. There are also ten special libraries connected with the different departments of the university. The total numbers of vols. in all these collections is over 800,000. There is a MS. card-catalogue in two parts, by authors and subjects, which is accessible to the readers. The only condition of admission to use the books in Gore Hall is respectability; but only members of the university and privileged persons may borrow books. The library of Yale College, New Haven, was founded in 1701, but grew so slowly that, even with the 1000 vols. received from Bishop Berkeley in 1733, it had only increased to 4000 vols. in 1766, and some of these were lost in the revolutionary war. During the 19th century the collection grew more speedily, and now the library numbers over 550,000 vols.

Other important university and college libraries are Amherst College,
Mass. (1821), 93,000 vols.; Brown University, R.I. (1767), 156,000
vols.; Columbia University, N.Y. (1763), 430,000 vols.; Cornell
University, N.Y. (1868), 355,000 vols.; Dartmouth College, N.H.
(1769), 106,000 vols.; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (1876),
220,000 vols.; Lehigh University, Pa. (1877), 150,000 vols.; Leland
Stanford University, Cal. (1891), 113,000 vols.; Princeton University,
N.J. (1746), 260,000 vols.; University of California (1868), 240,000
vols.; University of Chicago, Ill. (1892), 480,000 vols.; University
of Michigan (1837), 252,000 vols.; University of Pennsylvania (1749),
285,000 vols. There are numerous other college libraries, several of
them even larger than some of those named above.

Subscription and Endowed Libraries.

The establishment of proprietary or subscription libraries runs back into the first half of the 18th century, and is connected with the name of Benjamin Franklin. It was at Philadelphia, in the year 1731, that he set on foot what he called "his first project of a public nature, that for a subscription library.... The institution soon manifested its ability, was imitated by other towns and in other provinces." The Library Company of Philadelphia was soon regularly incorporated, and gradually drew to itself other collections of books, including the Loganian Library, which was vested in the company by the state legislature in 1792 in trust for public use. Hence the collection combines the character of a public and of a proprietary library, being freely open for reference purposes, while the books circulate only among the subscribing members. It numbers at present 226,000 vols., of which 11,000 belong to the Loganian Library, and may be freely lent. In 1869 Dr James Rush left a bequest of over one million dollars for the purpose of erecting a building to be called the Ridgeway branch of the library. The building is very handsome, and has been very highly spoken of as a library structure. Philadelphia has another large proprietary library--that of the Mercantile Library Company, which was established in 1821. It possesses 200,000 vols., and its members have always enjoyed direct access to the shelves. The library of the Boston Athenaeum was established in 1807, and numbers 235,000 vols. It has published an admirable dictionary-catalogue. The collection is especially rich in art and in history, and possesses a part of the library of George Washington. The Mercantile Library Association of New York, which was founded in 1820, has over 240,000 vols. New York possesses two other large proprietary libraries, one of which claims to have been formed as early as 1700 as the "public" library of New York. It was organized as the New York Society Library in 1754, and has been especially the library of the old Knickerbocker families and their descendants, its contents bearing witness to its history. It contains about 100,000 vols. The Apprentices' Library (1820) has about 100,000 vols., and makes a special feature of works on trades and useful arts.

The Astor Library in New York was founded by a bequest of John Jacob Astor, whose example was followed successively by his son and grandson. The library was opened to the public in 1854, and consists of a careful selection of the most valuable books upon all subjects. It is a library of reference, for which purpose it is freely open, and books are not lent out. It is "a working library for studious persons." The Lenox Library was established by James Lenox in 1870, when a body of trustees was incorporated by an act of the legislature. In addition to the funds intended for the library building and endowment, amounting to $1,247,000, the private collection of books which Mr Lenox had long been accumulating is extremely valuable. Though it does not rank high in point of mere numbers, it is exceedingly rich in early books on America, in Bibles, in Shakesperiana and in Elizabethan poetry. Both those libraries are now merged in the New York Public Library. The Peabody Institute at Baltimore was established by George Peabody in 1857, and contains a reference library open to all comers. The institute has an endowment of $1,000,000, which, however, has to support, besides the library, a conservatoire of music, an art gallery, and courses of popular lectures. It has a very fine printed dictionary catalogue and now contains nearly 200,000 vols. In the same city is the Enoch Pratt Free Library (1882) with 257,000 vols. In the city of Chicago are two very important endowed libraries, the Newberry Library (1887) with over 200,000 vols., and the John Crerar Library (1894), with 235,000 vols. Both of these are reference libraries of great value, and the John Crerar Library specializes in science, for which purpose its founder left $3,000,000.

It will be sufficient to name a few of the other endowed libraries to
give an idea of the large number of donors who have given money to
libraries. Silas Bronson (Waterbury), Annie T. Howard (New Orleans),
Joshua Bates (Boston), Charles E. Forbes (Northampton, Mass.),
Mortimer F. Reynolds (Rochester, N.Y.), Leonard Case (Cleveland), I.
Osterhout (Wilkes-Barré, Pa.), and above all Andrew Carnegie, whose
library benefactions exceed $53,000,000.

It remains to mention another group of proprietary and society
libraries.

Since the organization of the government in 1789, no less than one
hundred and sixty historical societies have been formed in the United
States, most of which still continue to exist. Many of them have
formed considerable libraries, and possess extensive and valuable
manuscript collections. The oldest of them is the Massachusetts
Historical Society, which dates from 1791.

The earliest of the scientific societies, the American Philosophical
Society (1743), has 73,000 vols. The most extensive collection is that
of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, which consists of
80,000 vols. and pamphlets. For information as to the numerous
professional libraries of the United States--theological, legal and
medical--the reader may be referred to the authorities quoted below.

Municipal Libraries.

In no country has the movement for the development of municipal libraries made such progress as in the United States; these institutions called free or public as the case may be are distinguished for their work, enterprise and the liberality with which they are supported. They are established under laws passed by the different states, the first to pass such an enactment being Massachusetts, which in 1848 empowered the city of Boston to establish a free public library. This was subsequently extended to the whole state in 1851. Other states followed, all with more or less variation in the provisions, till practically every state in the Union now has a body of library laws. In general the American library law is much on the same lines as the English. In most states the acts are permissive. In New Hampshire aid is granted by the state to any library for which a township contracts to make a definite annual appropriation. A limit is imposed in most states on the library tax which may be levied, although there are some, like Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which fix no limit. In every American town the amount derived from the library tax usually exceeds by double or more the same rate raised in Britain in towns of similar size. For example, East Orange, N.J., with a population of 35,000, expends £2400, while Dumfries in Scotland, with 23,000 pop. expends £500. Cincinnati, 345,000 pop., expenditure £26,000; Islington (London), 350,000 pop., expenditure £8200, is another example. In the smaller towns the difference is not so marked, but generally the average American municipal library income is considerably in excess of the British one. Many American municipal libraries have also endowments which add to their incomes.

American Library Administration.

In one respect the American libraries differ from those of the United Kingdom. They are usually managed by a small committee or body of trustees, about five or more in number, who administer the library independent of the city council. This is akin to the practice in Scotland, although there, the committees are larger. In addition to the legislation authorizing town libraries to be established, thirty-two states have formed state library commissions. These are small bodies of three or five trained persons appointed by the different states which, acting on behalf of the state, encourage the formation of local libraries, particularly in towns and villages, and in many cases have authority to aid their establishment by the grant out of the state funds of a certain sum (usually $100) towards the purchase of books, upon the appropriation of a similar sum by the local authorities. These commissions are prepared to aid further with select lists of desirable books, and with suggestions or advice in the problems of construction and maintenance. Such commissions are in existence in Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

The reports and other documents issued by some of these commissioners are very interesting and valuable, especially as regards the light they throw on the working of the travelling libraries in country districts. These to some extent are a revival of the "itinerating" library idea of Samuel Brown of Haddington in Scotland, who from 1817 to 1836 carried on a system of travelling subscription libraries in that country. At the time of his death there were 3850 vols. in 47 libraries. The American travelling libraries, often under state supervision, are well organized and numerous, and the books are circulated free. New York was the pioneer in this movement which now extends to most of the states which have established library commissions. There are also town travelling libraries and deposit stations in addition to branches, so that every effort is made to bring people in outlying districts into touch with books.

The municipal libraries of the United States work in conjunction with the schools, and it is generally considered that they are part of the educational machinery of the country. In the case of New York the state libraries have been put under the control of the university of the state of New York, which also inaugurated the travelling libraries. Work with the schools and children generally is more cultivated in the libraries of the United States than elsewhere. In some cases the libraries send collections of books to the schools; in others provision is made for children's reading-rooms and lending departments at the library buildings. At Cleveland (Ohio), Pittsburg (Pa.), New York and many other places, elaborate arrangements are in force for the convenience and amusement of children. There is a special school, the Carnegie Library training school for children's librarians, at Pittsburg, and within recent years the instruction has included the art of telling stories to children at the libraries. This "story-hour" idea has been the cause of considerable discussion in the United States, librarians and teachers being divided in opinion as to the value of the service. The chief factors in children's work in American libraries, often overlooked by critics, are the number of non-English reading adults and the large number of children of foreign origin. The adults do not use the libraries to any large extent, but the children, who learn English at the schools, are brought into close touch with the juvenile departments of the libraries. In this way many libraries are obliged to undertake special work for children, and as a rule it is performed in a sane, practical and economical manner. The preponderance of women librarians and their natural sentimental regard for children has tended to make this work loom rather largely in some quarters, but with these exceptions the activity on behalf of children is justified on many grounds. But above all, it is manifest that a rapidly growing nation, finding homes for thousands of foreigners and their children annually, must use every means of rapidly educating their new citizens, and the public library is one of the most efficient and ready ways of accomplishing this great national object.

With regard to methods, the American libraries are working on much the same plan as those of the United Kingdom. They allow access to the shelves more universally, and there is much more standardization in classification and other internal matters. The provision of books is more profuse, although there is, on the whole, more reading done in the United Kingdom. The largest municipal library system in America, and also in the world, is that of New York City, which, after struggling with a series of Free Circulating Libraries, blossomed out in 1895 into the series of combinations which resulted in the present great establishment. In that year, the Astor and Lenox libraries (see above) were taken over by the city, and in addition, $2,000,000 was given by one of the heirs of Mr S. J. Tilden, who had bequeathed about $4,000,000 for library purposes in New York but whose will had been upset in the law courts. In 1901 Mr Andrew Carnegie gave about £1,500,000 for the purpose of providing 65 branches, and these are now nearly all erected. A very fine central library building has been erected, and when the organization is completed there will be no system of municipal libraries to equal that of New York. It possesses about 1,400,000 vols. in the consolidated libraries. Brooklyn, although forming part of Greater New York, has an independent library system, and possesses about 560,000, vols. distributed among 26 branches and including the old Brooklyn Library which has been absorbed in the municipal library system. At Boston (Mass.) is one of the most renowned public libraries in the United States, and also the oldest established by act of legislature. It was first opened to the public in 1854, and is now housed in a very magnificently decorated building which was completed in 1895. The central library contains many fine special collections, and there are 28 branch and numerous school libraries in connexion. It possesses about 1,000,000 vols. altogether, its annual circulation is about 1,500,000 vols., and its annual expenditure is nearly £70,000.

Other notable municipal libraries are those of Philadelphia (1891),
Chicago (1872), Los Angeles (Cal.), 1872, Indianapolis (1868), Detroit
(1865), Minneapolis (1885), St Louis (1865), Newark, N.J. (1889),
Cincinnati (1856), Cleveland (1869), Allegheny (1890), Pittsburg
(1895), Providence, R.I. (1878), Milwaukee (1875), Washington, D.C.
(1898), Worcester, Mass. (1859), Buffalo (1837).

AUTHORITIES.--_The Annual Library Index_ (New York, 1908)--contains a
select list of libraries in the United States; Arthur E. Bostwick,
_The American Public Library_, illust. (New York, 1910)--the most
comprehensive general book; Bureau of Education, _Statistics of Public
Libraries in the United States and Canada_ (1893)--this has been
succeeded by a list of "Public, Society and School Libraries,"
reprinted at irregular intervals from the Report of the Commissioner
of Education and giving a list of libraries containing over 5000 vols.
with various other particulars; Clegg, _International Directory of
Booksellers_ (1910) and earlier issues--contains a list of American
libraries with brief particulars; John C. Dana, _A Library Primer_
(Chicago, 1910)--the standard manual of American library practice;
_Directory of Libraries in the United States and Canada_ (6th ed.;
Minneapolis, 1908)--a brief list of 4500 libraries, with indication of
the annual income of each; Wm. I. Fletcher, _Public Libraries in
America_ (2nd ed., Boston, 1899), illust.; T. W. Koch, _Portfolio of
Carnegie Libraries_ (1908); Cornelia Marvin, _Small Library Buildings_
(Boston, 1908); A. R. Spofford, _A Book for all Readers ... the
Formation of Public and Private Libraries_ (1905).

_France._

French libraries (other than those in private hands) belong either to the state, to the departments, to the communes, or to learned societies, educational establishments and other public institutions; the libraries of judicial or administrative bodies are not considered to be owned by them, but to be state property. Besides the unrivalled library accommodation of the capital, France possesses a remarkable assemblage of provincial libraries. The communal and school libraries also form striking features of the French free library system. Taking as a basis for comparison the _Tableau statistique des bibliothèques publiques_ (1857), there were at that date 340 departmental libraries with a total of 3,734,260 vols., and 44,436 MSS. In 1908 the number of volumes in all the public libraries; communal, university, learned societies, educational and departmental, was more than 20,060,148 vols., 93,986 MSS. and 15,530 incunabula. Paris alone now possesses over 10,570,000 printed vols., 147,543 MSS., 5000 incunabula, 609,439 maps and plans, 2,000,000 prints (designs and reproductions).

Paris.

The Bibliothèque Nationale (one of the most extensive libraries in the world) has had an advantage over others in the length of time during which its contents have been accumulating, and in the great zeal shown for it by several kings and other eminent men. Enthusiastic writers find the original of this library in the MS. collections of Charlemagne and Charles the Bald, but these were dispersed in course of time, and the few precious relics of them which the national library now possesses have been acquired at a much later date. Of the library which St Louis formed in the 13th century (in imitation of what he had seen in the East) nothing has fallen into the possession of the Bibliothèque Nationale, but much has remained of the royal collections made by kings of the later dynasties. The real foundation of the institution (formerly known as the Bibliothèque du Roi) may be said to date from the reign of King John, the Black Prince's captive, who had a considerable taste for books, and bequeathed his "royal library" of MSS. to his successor Charles V. Charles V. organized his library in a very effective manner, removing it from the Palais de la Cité to the Louvre, where it was arranged on desks in a large hall of three storeys, and placed under the management of the first librarian and cataloguer, Claude Mallet, the king's valet-de-chambre. His catalogue was a mere shelf-list, entitled _Inventaire des Livres du Roy nostre Seigneur estans au chastel du Louvre_; it is still extant, as well as the further inventories made by Jean Blanchet in 1380, and by Jean le Bègue in 1411 and 1424. Charles V. was very liberal in his patronage of literature, and many of the early monuments of the French language are due to his having employed Nicholas Oresme, Ràoul de Presle and other scholars to make translations from ancient texts. Charles VI. added some hundreds of MSS. to the royal library, which, however, was sold to the regent, duke of Bedford, after a valuation had been established by the inventory of 1424. The regent transferred it to England, and it was finally dispersed at his death in 1435. Charles VII. and Louis XI. did little to repair the loss of the precious Louvre library, but the news of the invention of printing served as a stimulus to the creation of another one, of which the first librarian was Laurent Paulmier. The famous miniaturist, Jean Foucquet of Tours, was named the king's _enlumineur_, and although Louis XI. neglected to avail himself of many precious opportunities that occurred in his reign, still the new library developed gradually with the help of confiscation. Charles VIII. enriched it with many fine MSS. executed by his order, and also with most of the books that had formed the library of the kings of Aragon, seized by him at Naples. Louis XII., on coming to the throne, incorporated the Bibliothèque du Roi with the fine Orleans library at Blois, which he had inherited. The Blois library, thus augmented, and further enriched by plunder from the palaces of Pavia, and by the purchase of the famous Gruthuyse collection, was described at the time as one of the four marvels of France. Francis I. removed it to Fontainebleau in 1534, enlarged by the addition of his private library. He was the first to set the fashion of fine artistic bindings, which was still more cultivated by Henry II., and which has never died out in France. During the librarianship of Amyot (the translator of Plutarch) the library was transferred from Fontainebleau to Paris, not without the loss of several books coveted by powerful thieves. Henry IV. removed it to the Collége de Clermont, but in 1604 another change was made, and in 1622 it was installed in the Rue de la Harpe. Under the librarianship of J. A. de Thou it acquired the library of Catherine de' Medici, and the glorious Bible of Charles the Bald. In 1617 a decree was passed that two copies of every new publication should be deposited in the library, but this was not rigidly enforced till Louis XIV.'s time. The first catalogue worthy of the name was finished in 1622, and contains a description of some 6000 vols., chiefly MSS. Many additions were made during Louis XIII.'s reign, notably that of the Dupuy collection, but a new era dawned for the Bibliothèque du Roi under the patronage of Louis XIV. The enlightened activity of Colbert, one of the greatest of collectors, so enriched the library that it became necessary for want of space to make another removal. It was therefore in 1666 installed in the Rue Vivien (now Vivienne) not far from its present habitat. The departments of engravings and medals were now created, and before long rose to nearly equal importance with that of books. Marolles's prints, Foucquet's books, and many from the Mazarin library were added to the collection, and, in short, the Bibliothèque du Roi had its future pre-eminence undoubtedly secured. Nic. Clément made a catalogue in 1684 according to an arrangement which has been followed ever since (that is, in twenty-three classes, each one designated by a letter of the alphabet), with an alphabetical index to it. After Colbert's death Louvois emulated his predecessor's labours, and employed Mabillon, Thevenot and others to procure fresh accessions from all parts of the world. A new catalogue was compiled in 1688 in 8 vols, by several distinguished scholars. The Abbé Louvois, the minister's son, became head of the library in 1691, and opened it to all students--a privilege which although soon withdrawn was afterwards restored. Towards the end of Louis XIV.'s reign it contained over 70,000 vols. Under the management of the Abbé Bignon numerous additions were made in all departments, and the library was removed to its present home in the Rue Richelieu. Among the more important acquisitions were 6000 MSS. from the private library of the Colbert family, Bishop Huet's forfeited collection, and a large number of Oriental books imported by missionaries from the farther East, and by special agents from the Levant. Between 1739 and 1753 a catalogue in 11 vols, was printed, which enabled the administration to discover and to sell its duplicates. In Louis XVI.'s reign the sale of the La Vallière library furnished a valuable increase both in MSS. and printed books. A few years before the Revolution broke out the latter department contained over 300,000 vols, and opuscules. The Revolution was serviceable to the library, now called the Bibliothèque Nationale, by increasing it with the forfeited collections of the _émigrés_, as well as of the suppressed religious communities. In the midst of the difficulties of placing and cataloguing these numerous acquisitions, the name of Van Praet appears as an administrator of the first order. Napoleon increased the amount of the government grant; and by the strict enforcement of the law concerning new publications, as well as by the acquisition of several special collections, the Bibliothèque made considerable progress during his reign towards realizing his idea that it should be universal in character. At the beginning of last century the recorded numbers were 250,000 printed vols., 83,000 MSS., and 1,500,000 engravings. After Napoleon's downfall the MSS. which he had transferred from Berlin, Hanover, Florence, Venice, Rome, the Hague and other places had to be returned to their proper owners. The MacCarthy sale in 1817 brought a rich store of MSS. and incunabula. From that time onwards to the present, under the enlightened administration of MM. Taschereau and Delisle and Marcel, the accessions have been very extensive.

According to the statistics for 1908 the riches of the Bibliothèque
Nationale may be enumerated as follows: (1) Département des Imprimés:
more than 3,000,000 vols.; Maps and plans, 500,000 in 28,000 vols. (2)
Département des Manuscrits: 110,000 MSS. thus divided: Greek 4960,
Latin 21,544, French 44,913, Oriental and miscellaneous 38,583. (3)
Département des Estampes: 1,000,000 pieces. (4) Département des
Médailles: 207,096 pieces.

Admittance to the "salle de travail" is obtained through a card
procured from the secretarial office; the "salle publique" contains
344 places for readers, who are able to consult more than 50,000 vols.
of books of reference. Great improvements have lately been introduced
into the service. A "salle de lecture publique" is free to all readers
and is much used. New buildings are in process of construction. The
slip catalogue bound in volumes dates from 1882 and gives a list of
all accessions since that date; it is divided into two parts, one for
the names of authors and the other for subjects. There is not yet, as
at the British Museum, an alphabetical catalogue of all the printed
works and kept up by periodical supplements, but since 1897 a
_Catalogue général des livres imprimés_ has been begun. In 1909 the
38th vol. containing letters A to Delp had appeared. Some volumes are
published each year, but the earlier volumes only contain a selection
of the books; this inconvenience has now been remedied. Among the
other catalogues published by the Printed Book Department, the
following may be mentioned: _Répertoire alphabétique des livres mis à
la disposition des lecteurs dans la salle de travail_ (1896, 8vo),
_Liste des périodiques français et étrangers mis à la disposition des
lecteurs_ (1907, 4to, autogr.), _Liste des périodiques étrangers_ (new
ed., 1896, 8vo) and _Supplement_ (1902, 8vo), _Bulletin des récentes
publications françaises_ (from 1882, 8vo), _Catalogue des
dissertations et écrits académiques provenant des échanges avec les
universités étrangères_ (from 1882, 8vo). The other extensive
catalogues apart from those of the 18th century are: _Catalogue de
l'histoire de France_ (1885-1889, 4to, 11 vols.); _Table des auteurs,_
par P. Marchal (1895, 4to), with the following autographed
supplements: _Histoire locale_ (1880); _Histoire généalogique et
biographies_ (1884); _Moeurs et coutumes, archéologie_ (1885);
_Histoire maritime et militaire_ (1894); _Histoire constitutionnelle_
(1895); _Sciences médicales_ (1857-1889, 3 vols., 4to); _Histoire de
la Grande-Bretagne_ (1875-1878, autogr.); _Histoire de l'Espagne et du
Portugal_ (1883, autogr.); _Histoire de l'Asie_ (1894); _Histoire de
l'Afrique_ (1895, autogr.); _Histoire de l'Amérique_, par G. Barringer
(1903-1908, autogr.); _Factums et autres documents judiciaires
antérieurs à 1790_, par Corda et A. Trudon des Ormes (1890-1907, 8
vols., 8vo); _Catalogue général des incunables des bibliothèques
publiques de France_, par M. Pellechet et L. Polain, t. i.-iii.
(1897-1909, 8vo); _Livres d'heures imprimés au XV^e siècle conservés
dans les bibliothèques publiques de Paris_, par P. Lacombe (1907,
8vo), &c. In the Geographical section there is L. Vallée's _Catalogue
des cartes et plans relatifs à Paris et aux environs de Paris_ (1908,
8vo). The following should be mentioned: _Bibliographie générale des
travaux historiques et archéologiques publiés par les sociétés
savantes de la France_, par R. de Lasteyrie avec la collaboration d'E.
Lefèvre-Pontalis, S. Bougenot, A. Vidier, t. i.-vi. (1885-1908, 4to).
The scientific division of this work (in two parts) is by Deniker. The
printed catalogues and the autographed and manuscript lists of the
Département des Manuscrits are very numerous and greatly facilitate
research. For the French there are: H. Omont, _Catalogue général des
manuscrits français_ (1895-1897, 9 vols. 8vo); H. Omont, _Nouvelles
acquisitions_ (continuation of the same catalogue, 1899-1900, 3 vols.
8vo); H. Omont, _Anciens Inventaires de la Bibliothèque Nationale_
(1908-1909, 2 vols. 8vo); E. Coyecque, _Inventaire de la Collection
Anisson sur l'histoire de l'imprimerie et de la librairie_ (1900, 2
vols. 8vo). Without repeating the catalogues mentioned in the tenth
edition of the _Encyclopaedia Britannica_, it is yet necessary to
mention the following: _Catalogue de la collection Baluze_;
_Inventaire des sceaux de la collection Clairambault_; _Catalogue de
la collection des cinq-cents et des mélanges Colbert_; _Catalogue des
collections Duchesne et de Bréquigny_; those of the Dupuy, Joly de
Fleury, and Moreau collections, and that of provincial history, &c.
For the Greek collection the most important catalogues have been made
by H. Omont, the present Keeper of the Manuscripts, and these are:
_Inventaire sommaire des MSS. grecs_ (1886-1898, 4 vols. 8vo);
_Catalogus codicum hagiographicorum graecorum_ (1896, 8vo);
_Facsimilés des plus anciens MSS. grecs en onciale et en minuscule du
IX^e au XIV^e siècle_ (1891, fol.); as well as _Description des
peintures et autres ornements contenus dans les MSS. latins_, par H.
Bordier (1883, 4to). The lists of the Latin MSS. are: _Inventaire des
manuscrits latins et nouvelles acquisitions jusqu'en 1874_ (1863-1874,
7 pts. 8vo) and _Manuscrits latins et français ajoutés aux fonds des
nouvelles acquisitions 1875-1881_ (1891, 2 vols. 8vo), by M. Delisle;
M. Omont published _Nouvelles Acquisitions du département des
manuscrits_ (1892-1907, 8 pts. 8vo), and B. Haureau, _Notices et
extraits de quelques manuscrits latins_ (1890-1893, 6 vols. 8vo). The
principal modern catalogues of the oriental collection are: B. de
Slane, _Catalogue des MSS. arabes, avec supplément_ (1883-1895, 4to);
E. Blochet, _Catalogue des MSS. arabes, persans, et turcs de la
collection Schefer_ (1900); E. Blochet, _Inventaire des MSS. arabes de
la collection Decourtemanche_ (1906); F. Macler, _Catalogue des MSS.
arméniens et géorgiens_ (1908). For other oriental languages the
following catalogues have been compiled: _MSS. birmans et cambodgiens_
(1879); _MSS. chinois, coréens et japonais_ (1900-1907); _MSS. coptes_
(1906); _MSS. éthiopiens_ (1859-1877); _MSS. hébreux et samaritains_
(1867-1903); MSS. _indo-chinois_ (in the press); _MSS.
malayo-polynésiens_ (in the press); _MSS. mazdéens_ (1900); _MSS.
mexicains_ (1899); _MSS. persans_, t. i. (1905); _MSS. sanscrits et
pâlis_ (1899, 1907-1908); _MSS. siamois_ (1887); _MSS. syriaques et
sabéens_ (1874-1896); _MSS. thibétains_ (in the press), &c. The
catalogues of manuscripts in modern languages are nearly all
completed. The Départements des Médailles et des Estampes possess
excellent catalogues, and the following should be mentioned: E.
Babelon, _Catalogue des monnaies grecques_ (1890-1893); E. Babelon,
_Inventaire sommaire de la collection Waddington_ (1898); _Médailles
fausses recueillies_, par Hoffmann (1902); Muret et Chabouillet,
_Catalogue des monnaies gauloises_ (1889-1892); Prou, _Catalogue des
monnaies françaises_ (1892-1896); H. de la Tour, _Catalogue de la
collection Rouyer, 1^(re) partie_ (1899); _Catalogues des monnaies et
médailles d'Alsace_ (1902); _Cat. des monnaies de l'Amérique du Nord_
(1861); _Cat. des monnaies musulmanes_ (1887-1891); _Cat. des plombs_
(1900); _Cat. des bronzes antiques_ (1889); _Cat. des camées antiques
et modernes_ (1897-1899); _Cat. des vases peints_ (1902-1904, 2
vols.). In the Département des Estampes the following should be
mentioned: F. Courboin, _Catalogue sommaire des gravures et
lithographies de la Réserve_ (1900-1901); Duplessis, _Cat. des
portraits français et étrangers_ (1896-1907, 6 vols.); H. Bouchot,
_Les Portraits au crayon des XVI^e et XVII^e siècles_ (1884); _Cat.
des dessins relatifs à l'histoire du théâtre_ (1896); F. Courboin,
_Inventaire des dessins, photographies et gravures relatives à
l'histoire générale de l'art_ (1895, 2 vols.), &c.

The Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal was founded by the marquis de Paulmy (Antoine-René d'Argenson) in the 18th century; it received in 1786 80,000 vols. from the duc de La Vallière. Before its confiscation as national property it had belonged to the comte d'Artois, who had bought it from the marquis de Paulmy in his lifetime. It contains at the present time about 600,000 vols., 10,000 manuscripts, 120,000 prints and the Bastille collection (2500 portfolios) of which the inventory is complete; it is the richest library for the literary history of France and has more than 30,000 theatrical pieces.

_L'Inventaire des manuscrits_ was made by H. Martin (1885-1899, t.
i.-viii.); the other catalogues and lists are: _Extrait du catalogue
des journaux conservés à la Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal_ ("Bulletin des
biblioth. et des archives" t. i.); _Archives de la Bastille_, par F.
Funck-Brentano (1892-1894, 3 vols. 8vo); _Notice sur les dépôts
littéraires_ par J. B. Labiche (1880, 8vo); _Catalogue des estampes,
dessins et cartes composant le cabinet des estampes de la bibliothèque
de l'Arsenal_, par G. Schefer (1894-1905, 8 pts. 8vo).

The Bibliothèque Mazarine owes its origin to the great cardinal, who confided the direction to Gabriel Naudé; it was open to the public in 1642, and was transferred to Rue de Richelieu in 1648. Dispersed during the Fronde in the lifetime of Mazarin, it was reconstituted after the death of the cardinal in 1661, when it contained 40,000 vols. which were left to the Collège des Quatre-Nations, which in 1691 made it again public. It now has 250,000 vols.; with excellent manuscript catalogues.

The catalogues of incunabula and manuscripts are printed: P. Marais et
A. Dufresne de Saint-Léon, _Catalogue des incunables de la
bibliothèque Mazarine_ (1893, 8vo); _Supplément, additions et
corrections_ (1898, 4 vols. 8vo); _Catalogue des MSS._, par A.
Molinier (1885-1892, 4 vols. 8vo); _Inventaire sommaire des MSS.
grecs_, par H. Omont.

The first library of the Genovéfains had nearly disappeared owing to bad administration when Cardinal François de la Rochefoucauld, who had charge of the reformation of that religious order, constituted in 1642 a new library with his own books. The Bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève in 1716 possessed 45,000 vols.; important gifts were made by Letellier in 1791, and the duc d'Orléans increased it still more. It became national property in 1791, and was called the Bibliothèque du Panthéon and added to the Lycée Henri IV. under the empire. In 1908 the library contained 350,000 printed vols., 1225 incunabula, 3510 manuscripts, 10,000 prints (including 7357 portraits and 3000 maps and plans).

The printed catalogues at present comprise: Poirée et Lamoureux,
_Catalogue abrégé de la bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève_ (1891, 8vo); 3
supplements (1890-1896, 1897-1899, 1900-1902); _Catalogue des
incunables de la bibliothèque Ste-Geneviève, rédigé par Daunou_,
publié par M. Pellechet (1892, 8vo); _Catalogue général des MSS._, par
Ch. Kohler (1894-1896, 2 vols. 8vo); _Inventaire sommaire des MSS.
grecs_, par H. Omont; _Notices sur quelques MSS. normands_, par E.
Deville (1904-1906, 10 pts. 8vo), &c.

The Bibliothèque des Archives nationales, founded in 1808 by Daunou, contains 30,000 vols. on sciences auxiliary to history. It is only accessible to the officials.

It would be impossible to describe all the official, municipal and
academic libraries of Paris more or less open to the public, which are
about 200 in number, and in the following survey we deal only with
those having 10,000 vols. and over.

The Bibliothèque du Ministère des affaires étrangères was founded by
the marquis de Torcy, minister for foreign affairs under Louis XIV.;
it contains 80,000 vols. and is for official use only. The
Bibliothèque du Ministère de l'Agriculture dates from 1882 and has
only 4000 vols. At the Ministry for the Colonies the library (of
10,000 vols.) dates from 1897; the catalogue was published in 1905;
the library of the Colonial office is attached to this ministry;
suppressed in 1896, it was re-established in 1899, and now contains
6000 vols., 7400 periodicals and 5000 photographs; it is open to the
public. There are 30,000 vols. in the Bibliothèque du Ministère du
commerce et de l'industrie; the Bibliothèque du Ministère des finances
was burnt at the Commune, but has been reconstituted and now contains
35,000 vols.; connected with it are the libraries of the following
offices: Contributions directes, Contributions indirectes,
Enregistrement et inspection des finances; the contents of these four
libraries make a total of 13,500 vols. The Bibliothèque du Ministère
de la Guerre was formed by Louvois and possesses 130,000 vols. and 800
MSS. and an income of 20,000 francs; the catalogues are _Bibliothèque
du dépôt de la guerre: Catalogue_ (1883-1890); _Suppléments_
(1893-1896); _Catalogue des MSS._, par J. Lemoine (1910). The
following libraries are connected with this department: Comité de
santé (10,000 vols.), École supérieure de guerre (70,000 vols.),
Comité technique de l'artillerie (24,000 vols.). The Bibliothèque du
Ministère de l'Intérieur was founded in 1793 and has 80,000 vols. The
Bibliothèque du Ministère de la Justice possesses 10,000 vols., and
L'Imprimerie Nationale which is connected with it has a further 19,000
vols. There are also the following law libraries: Cour d'appel
(12,000 vols.); Ordre des avocats, dating from 1871 (56,000 vols.,
with a catalogue printed in 1880-1882); the Bibliothèque des avocats
de la cour de Cassation (20,000 vols.); that of the Cour de Cassation
(40,000 vols.). The Bibliothèque du Ministère de la Marine is of old
formation (catalogue 1838-1843); it contains 100,000 vols, and 356
MSS.; the catalogue of manuscripts was compiled in 1907. The
Bibliothèque du service hydrographique de la Marine has 65,000 vols,
and 250 MSS. The Ministère des Travaux publics possesses 12,000 vols.,
and the Sous-Secrétariat des postes et télégraphes a further 30,000
vols. The Bibliothèque de la Chambre des députés (1796) possesses
250,000 printed books and 1546 MSS. (_Catalogue des manuscrits_, by E.
Coyecque et H. Debray, 1907; _Catalogue des livres de jurisprudence,
d'économie politique, de finances, et d'administration_, 1883). The
Bibliothèque du Sénat (1818) contains 150,000 vols, and 1343 MSS. The
Bibliothèque du Conseil d'État has 30,000 vols. All these libraries
are only accessible to officials except by special permission.

The Bibliothèque Historique de la ville de Paris was destroyed in
1871, but Jules Cousin reconstituted it in 1872; it possesses 400,000
vols., 3500 MSS. and 14,000 prints; the principal printed catalogues
are _Catalogue des imprimés de la Réserve_ by M. Poète (1910),
_Catalogue des manuscrits_, by F. Bournon (1893); a _Bulletin_ has
been issued periodically since 1906. The Bibliothèque administrative
de la préfecture de la Seine is divided into two sections: French
(40,000 vols.) and foreign (22,000 vols.); it is only accessible to
officials and to persons having a card of introduction; the catalogues
are printed.

The other libraries connected with the city of Paris are that of the
Conseil municipal (20,000 vols.), the Bibliothèques Municipales
Populaires, 82 in number with a total of 590,000 books; those of the
22 Hospitals (92,887 vols.), the Préfecture de police (10,000 vols.),
the Bibliothèque Forney (10,000 vols. and 80,000 prints), the five
Écoles municipales supérieures (19,700 vols.), the six professional
schools (14,200 vols.).

The libraries of the university and the institutions dealing with
higher education in Paris are well organized and their catalogues
generally printed.

The Bibliothèque de l'Université, although at present grouped as a
system in four sections in different places, historically considered
is the library of the Sorbonne. This was founded in 1762 by Montempuis
and only included the faculties of Arts and Theology. It changed its
name several times; in 1800 it was the Bibliothèque du Prytanée, in
1808 Bibliothèque des Quatre Lycées and in 1812 Bibliothèque de
l'Université de France. The sections into which the Bibliothèque de
l'Université is now divided are: (1) Facultés de Sciences et des
Lettres à la Sorbonne, (2) Faculté de Médecine, (3) Faculté de droit,
(4) École supérieure de pharmacie. Before the separation of Church and
State there was a fifth section, that of Protestant theology. After
the Bibliothèque nationale it is the richest in special collections,
and above all as regards classical philology, archaeology, French and
foreign literature and literary criticism, just as the library of the
Faculté des Sciences et des Lettres is notable for philosophy,
mathematics and chemico-physical sciences. The great development which
has taken place during the last thirty years, especially under the
administration of M. J. de Chantepie du Dézert, its installation since
1897 in the buildings of the New Sorbonne, have made it a library of
the very first rank. The reading-room only seats about 300 persons.
The average attendance per day is 1200, the number of books consulted
varies from 1500 to 3000 vols. a day, and the loans amount to 14,000
vols. per year. The store-rooms, although they contain more than 1200
mètres of shelves and comprise two buildings of five storeys each, are
insufficient for the annual accessions, which reach nearly 10,000
vols. by purchase and presentation. Amongst the latter the most
important are the bequests of Leclerc, Peccot, Lavisse, Derenbourg and
Beljame; the last-named bequeathed more than 3000 vols., including an
important Shakespearean library. The first section contains more than
550,000 vols., 2800 periodicals which include over 70,000 vols., 320
incunabula, 2106 MSS., more than 2000 maps and plans and some prints.
The alphabetical catalogues are kept up day by day on slips. The
classified catalogues were in 1910 almost ready for printing, and some
had already been published: Périodiques (1905); Cartulaires (1907);
_Mélanges jubilaires et publications commémoratives_ (1908);
_Inventaires des MSS._, by E. Chatelain (1892); _Incunables_, by E.
Chatelain (1902); and _Supplément, Réserve de la bibliothèque_
1401-1540, by Ch. Beaulieux (1909); _Nouvelles acquisitions_
(1905-1908); _Catalogue des livres de G. Duplessis donnés à
l'Université de Paris_ (1907), _Catalogue collectif des bibliothèques
universitaires_ by Fécamp (1898-1901). For French thèses, of which the
library possesses a rich collection, the catalogues are as follows:
Mourier et Deltour, _Catalogue des thèses de lettres_ (1809, &c.); A.
Maire, _Répertoire des thèses de lettres_ (1809-1900); A. Maire,
_Catalogue des thèses de sciences_ (1809-1890) with _Supplément_ to
1900 by Estanave; _Catalogue des thèses publié par le Ministère de
l'Instruction publique_ (1882, &c.).

At the Sorbonne are also to be found the libraries of A. Dumont and V.
Cousin (15,000 vols.), and those of the laboratories, of which the
richest is the geological (30,000 specimens and books). The section
relating to medicine, housed since 1891 in the new buildings of the
Faculté de Médecine, includes 180,000 vols, and 88 MSS. (catalogue
1910). The Bibliothèque de la faculté de droit dates from 1772 and
contains 80,000 vols., 239 MSS. The fourth section, l'École supérieure
de pharmacie, greatly developed since 1882, now contains 50,000 vols.

The other libraries connected with higher education include that of
the École des Beaux-Arts (40,000 vols., 100,000 reproductions, 14,000
drawings). The library of the École normale supérieure (1794),
established in the Rue d'Ulm in 1846, has received legacies from
Verdet (1867), Caboche (1887), Lerambert-Whitcomb (1890), and a
portion of Cuvier's library; the system of classification in use is
practically the same as that of the Sorbonne, being devised by
Philippe Lebas (librarian of the Sorbonne) about 1845; there are
200,000 vols. The library of the Muséum d'histoire naturelle dates
from the 18th century, and contains 220,000 vols., 2000 MSS., 8000
original drawings on vellum beginning in 1631. The Bibliothèque de
l'Office et Musée de l'Instruction publique (formerly Musée
pédagogique), founded only in 1880, has 75,000 vols. In 1760 was
founded the Bibliothèque de l'Institut de France, which is very rich;
its acquisitions come particularly from gifts and exchanges (400,000
vols., numerous and scarce; valuable MSS., especially modern ones).

The following may be briefly mentioned: Conservatoire national de
musique (1775), which receives everything published in France relating
to music (200,000 vols.); the Bibliothèque du théâtre de l'Opéra
(25,000 vols., 5000 songs, 20,000 romances, and a dramatic library of
12,000 vols. and 20,000 prints); the Théâtre français (40,000 vols.);
the Académie de médecine (15,000 vols., 10,000 vols. of periodicals,
5000 portraits), l'Observatoire (18,400 vols.); the Bureau des
Longitudes (15,000 vols. and 850 MSS.). The scholastic libraries are:
L'École centrale des arts et manufactures (16,000 vols.); l'École
coloniale (11,000 vols.); 1,'Êcole d'application du service de santé
militaire (23,000 vols.); l'École d'application du génie maritime
(14,000 vols.); l'École libre des sciences politiques (25,000 vols.,
250 periodicals); l'École normale d'instituteurs de la Seine (10,000
vols.); l'École normale israélite (30,000 vols., 250 MSS.); l'École
nationale des ponts-et-chausées (9000 vols., 5000 MSS., 5000
photographs); Bibliothèque de l'Institut catholique (160,000 vols.);
l'Institut national agronomique (25,000 vols.); Faculté libre de
théologie protestante (36,000 vols.); Conservatoire des arts et
métiers (46,000 vols., 2500 maps and plans); Bibliothèque polonaise,
administered by the Académie des Sciences de Cracovie (80,000 vols.,
30,000 prints); Séminaire des Missions étrangères (25,000 vols.);
l'Association Valentin Haüy, established 1885 (2000 vols. printed in
relief) which lends out 40,000 books per annum; l'Association générale
des Étudiants (22,000 vols.), which lends and allows reference on the
premises to books by students; Bibliothèque de la Chambre de Commerce
(40,000 vols.), the catalogues of which were printed in 1879, 1889 and
1902; the Société nationale d'agriculture (20,000 vols.); the Société
d'anthropologie (23,000 vols.); the Société asiatique (12,000 vols.,
200 MSS.); the Société chimique de France (10,000 vols.), the
catalogue of which was published in 1907; the Société de chirurgie,
dating from 1843 (20,000 vols.); the Société entomologique (30,000
vols.); the Société de géographie founded 1821 (60,000 vols., 6000
maps, 22,000 photographs, 2200 portraits, 80 MSS. of which the
catalogue was printed in 1901); the Société géologique de France
(15,000 vols., 30,000 specimens, 800 periodicals); the Société de
l'histoire du protestantisme français, founded in 1852 (50,000 vols.,
1000 MSS.; income 25,000 frs.); the Société d'encouragement pour
l'industrie nationale (50,000 vols., income 8000 frs.); the Société
des Ingénieurs civils (47,000 vols.; catalogue made in 1894); the
Société de legislation comparée (15,000 vols., 4500 pamphlets); and
lastly the Bibliothèque de la Société de Statistique de Paris, founded
in 1860 (60,000 vols., with a printed catalogue).

Before the Revolution there were in Paris alone 1100 libraries containing altogether 2,000,000 vols. After the suppression of the religious orders the libraries were confiscated, and in 1791 more than 800,000 vols, were seized in 162 religious houses and transferred to eight literary foundations in accordance with a decree of November 14, 1789. In the provinces 6,000,000 vols. were seized and transferred to local depositories. The organization of the central libraries under the decree of 3 Brumaire An IV. (October 25, 1795) came to nothing, but the consular edict of January 28, 1803 gave definitive organization to the books in the local depositories. From that time the library system was reconstituted, alike in Paris and the provinces. Unfortunately many precious books and MSS. were burnt, since by the decree of 4 Brumaire An II. (October 25, 1793) the Committee of Instruction ordered, on the proposition of its president the deputy Romme, the destruction or modification of books and objects of art, under the pretext that they recalled the outward signs of feudalism.

Libraries of the Departments.

The books in the provincial libraries, not including those in private hands or belonging to societies, number over 9,200,000 vols., 15,540 incunabula and 93,986 MSS. The number in the colonies and protected states outside France is uncertain, but it extends to more than 200,000 vols.; to this number must be added the 2,428,954 vols. contained in the university libraries. There are over 300 departmental libraries, and as many belong to learned societies. The increase in the provincial libraries is slower than that of the Parisian collections. With the exception of 26 libraries connected specially with the state, the others are municipal and are administered under state control by municipal librarians. The original foundation of most of the libraries dates but a short time before the Revolution, but there are a few exceptions. Thus the Bibliothèque d'Angers owes its first collection to Alain de la Rue about 1376; it now contains 72,485 vols., 134 incunabula and 2039 MSS. That of Bourges dates from 1466 (36,856 vols., 325 incunabula, 741 MSS.). The library of Carpentras was established by Michel Anglici between 1452 and 1474 (50,000 vols., 2154 MSS.). Mathieu de la Porte is said to be the founder of the library at Clermont-Ferrand at the end of the 15th century; it contained rather more than 49,000 vols. at the time of its union with the Bibliothèque Universitaire.

Amongst the libraries which date from the 16th century must be
mentioned that at Lyons founded by François I. in 1527; it possesses
113,168 vols., 870 incunabula and 5243 MSS. That of the Palais des
Arts has 82,079 vols., 64 incunabula and 311 MSS.

In the 17th century were established the following libraries:
Abbeville, by Charles Sanson in 1685 (46,929 vols., 42 incunabula, 342
MSS.); Besançon by Abbé Boisot in 1696 (93,580 vols., 1000 incunabula,
2247 MSS.). In 1604 the Consistoire réformé de la Rochelle established
a library which possesses to-day 58,900 vols., 14 incunabula, 1715
MSS. St Étienne, founded by Cardinal de Villeroi, has 50,000 vols., 8
incunabula, 343 MSS.

The principal libraries founded during the 18th century are the
following: Aix-en-Provence, established by Tournon and Méjane in 1705
(160,000 vols., 300 incunabula, 1351 MSS.); Bordeaux, 1738 (200,000
vols., 3491 MSS.); Chambéry, 1736 (64,200 vols., 47 incunabula, 155
MSS.); Dijon, 1701, founded by P. Fevret (125,000 vols., 211
incunabula, 1669 MSS.); Grenoble, 1772 (260,772 vols., 635 incunabula,
2485 MSS.); Marseilles, 1799 (111,672 vols., 143 incunabula, 1691
MSS.); Nancy, founded in 1750 by Stanislas (126,149 vols., 205
incunabula, 1695 MSS.); Nantes, 1753 (103,328 vols., 140 incunabula,
2750 MSS.); Nice, founded in 1786 by Abbé Massa (55,000 vols., 300
incunabula, 150 MSS.); Nîmes, founded by J. T. de Séguier in 1778
(80,000 vols., 61 incunabula, 675 MSS.); Niort, by Jean de Dieu and R.
Bion in 1771 (49,413 vols., 67 incunabula, 189 MSS.); Perpignan, by
Maréchal de Mailly in 1759 (27,200 vols., 80 incunabula, 127 MSS.);
Rennes, 1733 (110,000 vols., 116 incunabula, 602 MSS., income 8950
frs.); Toulouse, by archbishop of Brienne in 1782 (213,000 vols., 859
incunabula, 1020 MSS.).

Nearly all the other municipal libraries date from the Revolution, or
rather from the period of the redistribution of the books in 1803. The
following municipal libraries possess more than 100,000 vols.: Avignon
(135,000 vols., 698 incunabula, 4152 MSS.), of which the first
collection was the legacy of Calvet in 1810; Caen (122,000 vols., 109
incunabula, 665 MSS.); Montpellier (130,300 vols., 40 incunabula, 251
MSS.); Rouen (140,000 vols., 400 incunabula, 4000 MSS.); Tours
(123,000 vols., 451 incunabula, 1999 MSS.); Versailles (161,000 vols.,
436 incunabula, 1213 MSS.).

The following towns have libraries with more than 50,000 volumes:
Amiens, Auxerre, Beaune, Brest, Douai, le Hâvre, Lille, le Mans,
Orléans, Pau, Poitiers, Toulon and Verdun.

The catalogues of the greater part of the municipal libraries are
printed. Especially valuable is the _Catalogues des MSS. des
bibliothèques de Paris et des Départements_, which began to appear in
1885; the MSS. of Paris fill 18 octavo volumes, and those of the
provinces 50.

The libraries of the provincial universities, thanks to their
reorganization in 1882 and to the care exhibited by the general
inspectors, are greatly augmented. Aix has 74,658 vols.; Alger
160,489; Besançon 24,275; Bordeaux 216,278; Caen 127,542; Clermont
173,000; Dijon 117,524; Grenoble 127,400; Lille 215,427; Lyons
425,624; Marseilles 53,763; Montpellier 210,938; Nancy 139,036;
Poitiers 180,000; Rennes 166,427; Toulouse 232,000.

Since 1882 the educational libraries have largely developed; in 1877
they were 17,764 in number; in 1907 they were 44,021, containing
7,757,917 vols. The purely scholastic libraries have decreased; in
1902 there were 2674 libraries with 1,034,132 vols., whilst after the
reorganization (Circulaire of March 14, 1904) there were only 1131
with 573,279 vols. The Société Franklin pour la propagation des
bibliothèques populaires et militaires distributed among the libraries
which it controls 55,185 vols., between the years 1900 and 1909.

AUTHORITIES.--Information has been given for this account by M. Albert
Maire, librarian at the Sorbonne. See also the following
works:--_Bibliothèque Nationale:_ I. _Bâtiments, collections,
organisation, département des estampes, département des médailles et
antiques_, par Henri Marcel, Henri Bouchot et Ernest Babelon. II. _Le
Département des imprimés et la section de géographie. Le Département
des manuscrits_, par Paul Marchal et Camille Couderc (Paris, 1907, 2
vols); Félix Chambon, _Notes sur la bibliothèque de l'Université de
Paris de 1763 à 1905_ (Ganat, 1905); Fosseyeux, _La Bibliothèque des
hôpitaux de Paris_ (Revue des bibliothèques, t. 18, 1908); Alfred
Franklin, _Guide des savants, des littérateurs et des artistes dans
les bibliothèques de Paris_ (Paris, 1908); _Instruction du 7 Mars 1899
sur l'organisation des bibliothèques militaires_ (Paris, 1899); Henri
Jadart, _Les Anciennes bibliothèques de Reims, leur sort en 1790-1791
et la formation de la bibliothèque publique_ (Reims, 1891); Henry
Marcel, _Rapport adressé au Ministre de l'Instruction Publique, sur
l'ensemble des services de la bibliothèque nationale en 1905_ (Journal
Officiel, 1906); Henry Martin, _Histoire de la bibliothèque de
l'Arsenal_ (Paris, 1899); E. Morel, _Le Développement des
bibliothèques publiques_ (Paris, 1909); Théod. Mortreuil, _La
Bibliothèque nationale, son origine et ses accroissements; notice
historique_ (Paris, 1878); Abbé L. V. Pécheur, _Histoire des
bibliothèques publiques du département de l'Aisne existant à Soissons,
Laon et Saint-Quentin_ (Soissons, 1884); M. Poète, E. Beaurepaire and
E. Clouzot, _Une visite à la bibliothèque de la ville de Paris_
(Paris, 1907); E. de Saint-Albin, _Les Bibliothèques municipales de la
ville de Paris_ (Paris, 1896); B. Subercaze, _Les Bibliothèques
populaires, scolaires et pédagogiques_ (Paris, 1892).

_Germany_ (_with Austria-Hungary and Switzerland_).

Germany.

Germany is emphatically the home of large libraries; her former want of political unity and consequent multiplicity of capitals have had the effect of giving her many large state libraries, and the number of her universities has tended to multiply considerable collections; 1617 libraries were registered by P. Schwenke in 1891. As to the conditions, hours of opening, &c., of 200 of the most important of them, there is a yearly statement in the _Jahrbuch der deutschen Bibliotheken_, published by the Verein deutscher Bibliothekare.