La Bibliothèque Mazarine: France’s First Public Library

The opportunity is taken, however, of drawing attention to one of the richest collections in all France, that of the Bibliothèque Mazarine. This originated in the personal library of Cardinal Mazarin and was open to scholars from 1643 onwards. In this way, it can claim to be the oldest public library in the country. (Ferguson 24)

In 1627, Cardinal Jules Mazarin appointed Gabriel Naudé to develop the collection of his library. Thus, Naudé did, traveling across Europe to purchase existing, well-established libraries. One such purchase was the library of Jean Descordes, which had over six thousand titles (Nelles 433). The skills of Naudé were such that within fifteen months, he had accrued ten thousand titles (433). By 1652, the Mazarine Library boasted a collection of nearly forty thousand items (Bibliothèque).

Originally born in Sicily and named Giulio Mazarini (Hassall 1), the Cardinal received his education through the University of Alcalá in Spain (2). From an early age, his talents in diplomacy were evident. His skills led him to Cardinal Richelieu,[1] who recommended Mazarin to France’s King Louis XIII (3). Upon the death of Richelieu in 1642, Louis XIII appointed Mazarin as his First Minister (1).

Although numerous works have been written on Mazarin and his political and diplomatic influences, his contribution to libraries is frequently overlooked, buried beneath his other accomplishments. Yet, Mazarin’s love for literature and art was great; he patronized such revered authors as Rene Descartes, Blaise Pascal, and Molière, along with many other writers (Hassall 169), and collected artwork by Correggio, Titan, and Caracci (160). His personal collection was immense, showing the status of his power (Nelles 433); Mazarin was a “patron of literature and a lover of books” (Hassall 169).

It had been Richelieu who had first wanted to open a public library (“France” 210). This he could not achieve, but where he failed, Mazarin succeeded. The librarian Naudé journeyed to “Flanders, Italy, England, and Germany, to bring hither whatever is rare and excellent” (qtd. in Hassall 169). The result was “one of the largest collections in Europe” and one of the “principal research libraries in Paris” at that time (Nelles 433). Starting in 1643, scholars were admitted to the library (“France” 210). It was several years later that it became a truly public institution.

Following Mazarin’s death in 1661, the library continued. It survived both the Civil War of 1651 and the French Revolution of 1789. In actuality, it not only survived the latter occurrence, in which many Paris libraries were robbed, but actually gained some 50,000 volumes; 4,000 manuscripts; and artwork from Paris and Versailles (Nelles 434). However, it was not until 1785 that a complete catalog of the library was completed; even that only consisted of an alphabetical author index of thirty-eight folio volumes (435).

Today, la Bibliothèque Mazarine contains a collection of 500,000 books; 2,600 serial titles; 2,370 volumes of incunabula; and 4,639 manuscripts (Bibliothèque). The Mazarine is considered one of the premier research libraries in Paris. Its areas of specialties are sixteenth and seventeenth century history, particularly religious, regional, and local French history (Bibliothèque). The library is a part of the Insitut de France and sits opposite the Louvre (Nelles 434). It has “one of the richest collections in all France” (Ferguson 24).

Mazarin’s library was not the first in France to lend out works; manuscripts had been lent to monasteries for several centuries by the time the Mazarine library opened (Dolamore 10). La Bibliothèque Mazarine revolutionized French librarianship when it allowed not only scholars to access its collection. From the beginning, the public was granted entrance every Thursday. However, it was in 1661, the year of Mazarin’s death, that the library opened its doors “to everyone without exception” (“France” 210). This policy is still in place today, as stated on the library’s website: “La bibliothèque Mazarine est une bibliothèque publique, ouverte à tous”[2] (Mazarine).

At this same time, other large libraries were being founded, including the Bodleian at Oxford and the Ambrosian in Milan (Dolamore 11). The Mazarine, like these other two libraries, attracted scholars from across Europe (Nelles 434). It was a haven for scholars and the learned elite of Paris, France, and beyond. In the seventeenth century, it was revered for its extensive collection, the second largest in Europe (433). Today, it is treasured for its collection of rare manuscripts, and also for other antique and valuable objects. It is a library valued not only for its impressive collection of books and other writings, but also for the artwork it contains and displays. Its reading room is decorated with pieces of art, busts, and pedestals acquired during the Revolution; the main gallery contains several chandeliers and a clock from the study of Louis XVI (Bibliothèque).

In conclusion, la Bibliothèque Mazarine’s contribution to the advancement of public librarianship is extensive. It set the standard of attracting the intelligentsia and uneducated alike. Its collection has been and remains a rich store of information, certainly historically and also currently. The library is still seeking to expand its collection through “acquisition of recent publications, through the legal requirements of registration of copyright (Dépôt légal) and important donations” (Bibliothèque). It is a library whose collection has increased infinitely from its original few volumes. It is a library that has survived both Civil War and Revolution with relatively little harm and immense gain. It is a library in which four hundred year old manuscripts and four hundred year old paintings reside. It is a library that caters to the learned and unlearned alike. La Bibliothèque Mazarine is a library whose stately history is linked with its modern usefulness and value.

Works Cited

Bibliothèque Mazarine. 14 March 2006 <http://www.bibliotheque-mazarine.fr>.

Dolamore, Susan. “The Library System of France.” MA thesis. N.p.: Leeds Polytechnic, 1970.

Ferguson, John. Libraries in France. London: Clive Bingley, 1971.

“France.” Encyclopedia of Library History. Ed. Wayne A. Wiegand and Donald G. Davis, Jr. New York: Garland, 1994.

Hassall, Arthur. Mazarin. London: Macmillan, 1923.

Nelles, Paul. “Mazarine Library.” International Dictionary of Library Histories. Ed. David H. Stam. 2 vols. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001.

Evaluation of Secondary Sources

In looking for resources on la Bibliothèque Mazarine, I searched for both online articles and print materials. I first began with looking up reference articles in LIS encyclopedias, which was how I discovered the most valuable Nelles article. This set the framework for understanding the basic history and importance of the library. Hamilton Library contains numerous works on Mazarin and French libraries, however as most of these are written entirely in French, it was not possible to use these in my research. Dolamore’s thesis helped set the library within a rich historical context; oppositely, Hassall’s book on Mazarin helped me better understand the man behind the library. Naturally, I am mainly interested in Mazarin as he is connected to his library, although knowing that he was even more widely identified for his political and diplomatic skills helped see what a rounded individual he was. Finally, the website for the Mazarine gave a current view of the library and a helpful breakdown of its current collection and services.

[1] villainized in Alexander Dumas’ Les Trois Mousquetaires (The Three Musketeers)

[2] The Mazarine Library is a public library, open to all.