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Decorative arts to borrow at home: a unique story of a specialized collection of images in a French public art library

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2024

Joëlle Garcia*
Affiliation:
Former head of Specialized Collections Departement at Bibliothèque, Forney Bibliothèque Forney, 1 rue du Figuier, 75005 Paris, France joelle.garcia@jgol.fr Please send all surface mail to Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de la Sorbonne – Bibliothèque de géographie, Institut de géographie 191 rue Saint Jacques, 75005 Paris
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Abstract

A Parisian public library specializing in decorative arts, the Bibliothèque Forney is considered one of the first public lending art libraries in France. From the library's opening in the nineteenth century to the year 2000, readers could borrow art images to use as models or sources of inspiration. Today a selection of art plates are still freely accessible. The history of this unique service highlights the librarians’ efforts to meet the evolving needs of researchers looking for easily accessible art; their work to keep up with modernity; and their efforts to add value for their users.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of ARLIS

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References

1. Louis Paillard, “Les Précieux Services Rendus par la Bibliothèque des Artisans”, Le Petit Journal, January 30, 1929.

2. Anonymous, Note Pour la Commission de Surveillance de la Bibliothèque Professionnelle d'Art et d'Industrie Forney (Paris: Imprimerie de la coopération typographique, 1881), 89Google Scholar.

3. Georges Rémon, L'Humanité, August 26 août, 1913.

4. Anonymous, Revue Chronométrique: Journal de l'Horlogerie Française, 682 (1913): 7.

5. Louis Paillard, “Les Précieux Services Rendus par la Bibliothèque des Artisans”, Le Petit Journal, January 30, 1929.

6. Jacqueline Viaux, “Une source de documentation inconnue: la Bibliothèque Forney”, Parents d’élèves, July 1959.

7. SABF, Supplément à la Lettre de la Société des amis de la Bibliothèque Forney, 1971, Supplément à la Lettre de la Société des Amis de la Bibliothèque Forney, 1971.

8. Bibliothèque Forney, Rapport Annuel du Service Iconographie Bibliothèque Forney, Rapport annuel du Service Iconographie, 1969.

9. Digital Collections, Paris Specialized and Heritage Libraries, https://bibliotheques-specialisees.paris.fr

10. Bibliothèque Forney Blog, https://bibliothequeforney.wordpress.com