Bipulum: Public libraries in the France of the Enlightenment

This research programme, which brings together the Telemme (Aix-Marseille University), IHRIM (Lyon 2 University) and the Centre Jean-Mabillon (École Nationale des Chartes - PSL) laboratories, as well as the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, is coordinated by Emmanuelle Chapron(Aix-Marseille University / EPHE-PSL), as scientific director of the project along with Christine Bénévent(ENC / CJM), Fabienne Henryot(Enssib / IRHIM) and Gennaro Toscano(BNF and ENC / CJM). It will be rolled out over 48 months, starting 1 March 2024.

In France, the history of public libraries began, in most cases, with the French Revolution. The period between the first wave of ecclesiastical confiscations (1789) and the decree creating municipal libraries (1803) was the foundation, if not of institutional achievements, at least of the idea of the public library as a place where books and knowledge could be disseminated as widely as possible. The BIPULUM project (Public Libraries in the France of the Enlightenment) aims to shed light on what remains a blind spot in the history of the Enlightenment. Its ambition is to survey and study the public libraries existing in France in the 18th century, from the perspective of urban and political history and the history of cultural practices, to understand how, even before the French Revolution, the idea—and practice—of the library as a public service emerged. 

In addition to a joint publication, the proceedings of three scientific conferences, and a series of dissemination products developed in partnership with the libraries, the core of the project is the creation of an online directory of Ancien Régime public libraries, enriched with previously unpublished documents (founding texts, regulations, descriptions, inventories, etc.). The project, centred around a small team, is based on close collaboration with conservation professionals.

Allocated budget: