Exposition « La fabrique des collections » : les dons à la bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève

Heir to the collections of the abbey of the same name, which bear the imprint of major donations and were preserved for the benefit of the Nation by the French Revolution, the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève saw its role reinforced by the allocation of the printer's legal deposit in 1828, followed by its installation in 1851 in the custom-built setting designed by Henri Labrouste. Administrators and curators then affirmed an ambitious and coherent policy of enriching the collections thus assembled.

Alongside routine purchases and institutional accessions such as subscriptions and other exchanges, donations occupy an essential place — substantial collections built up over the years by collectors, scholars, or publishing professionals, but also a few books gifted by modest readers wishing to give back to the library what it gave them: the widest possible access to an encyclopedic and universal collection. It is this dynamic, still at work, and these privileged relationships with a multifaceted readership that the exhibition invites you to discover through about a hundred works, objects, and archival pieces.

Free admission upon reservation during Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève opening hours.