The Library of the Institut de France

Abstract

The Bibliotheque de l'Institut de France, housed in a wing of the Palais de l'Institut, at 23 Quai de Conti, contains many valuable collections of manuscripts, prints, and books of interest to students of French constitutional, political, diplomatic, and cultural history from the late Middle Ages to the contemporary period.' Because of the origins and nature of the Library, its holdings are unusually diversified and constantly growing. It stems in part from the municipal library of the city of Paris, which opened on April 13, 1763 through the protracted efforts of Michel Etienne Turgot (1690-1751), Prevot des Marchands of Paris from 1729 to 1740, and Antoine Moriau (1699-1760), a wealthy Procureur du Roi et de la Ville and bibliophile. Turgot created the post of historiographer of Paris and acquired books and funds for a library. Moriau continued this work and willed to the city his collection of 2,000 manuscripts and 14,000 books, together with a considerable financial sum, for a library open to the public and organized like that in Lyon. The first librarian, M. Pierre Nicolas Bonamy (1694-1770), a classical historian, member of the Royal Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, and historiographer of Paris, sold to the Library his extensive collection of books in the fields of theology, law, French history, genealogy, literature, science, and mathematics. Works in the field of natural history and funds were also given to the Library by Nicolas de la Pinte, Abbe de Livry, and Bishop of Callinique (1715-1795). Before the outbreak of the Revolution the Library contained 24,000 books and 2,000 manuscripts, was open to readers two afternoons a week, and was much used. It was first installed in the Hotel Lamoignon, Rue