Ready to dive into a world of words? We are standing before the Grande Bibliothèque. It is not just a library. It is a cultural landmark in Montreal.
The Grande Bibliothèque is part of the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. This makes it Quebec’s national library. Membership is free for all Quebec residents. Imagine that access to knowledge is open to everyone.
Opened on April 30 2005 the Grande Bibliothèque quickly became a sensation. In 2009 it had 3 million users. This was double the projected figure. By 2011 it was the most frequented public library in North America and the Francophonie. This shows its popularity.
The Grande Bibliothèque houses about 4 million works. This includes books documents and microfiches. Most items are in French. However about 30% are in English. A dozen other languages are represented too. The library has 80 kilometers of shelf space. Think of the stories.
The collection is split into two main parts. There is the Collection nationale or Quebec heritage collection. It has about one million works. This includes every book published in Quebec since 1968. It also has books about Quebec or by Quebec authors published elsewhere.
The Saint-Sulpice collection supplements this. It contains about 78000 works. Some date back to the 1760s. They include books from the personal libraries of Louis-Joseph Papineau and Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine.
The Collection universelle de prêt et de référence is the second major collection. It contains about three million works on all subjects. It includes the collection of the Bibliothèque centrale de Montréal. These works except for reference materials are available for loan.
The Grande Bibliothèque also has a large multimedia collection. This includes music CDs films on DVD and Blu-ray and software programs. There is also an adapted book service. It holds more than 50000 documents for the visually impaired. These include Braille and audiobooks.
Inside you will find many facilities. There are 1300 reading armchairs. There are 850 study seats. You will also find 350 computer stations. The basement has a children’s library called Espace jeunes. It has special audio-visual equipment.
Other services include a job and career center. There is a business connection center. Newcomers to Quebec can find help here. There is even a language laboratory. The Grande Bibliothèque also has exhibition spaces conference rooms theaters and auditoriums.
The Grande Bibliothèque building itself is impressive. Former Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard initiated it. Patkau Architects and Croft-Pelletier/Gilles Guité designed it. Construction began in 2001. It cost $90.6 million.
The five-story building is clad with U-shaped glass plates. These plates were the first of their kind in North America. They are placed horizontally on copper uprights. These run the entire height of the building.
The national and universal collections are in two chambres de bois. These are wooden rooms. The name references Anne Hébert’s novel Les Chambres de bois. Walls of wooden slats define these areas. They allow indirect light or block it. The slats are made of Quebec-grown yellow birch. This is the official tree of Quebec.
The building includes several integrated works of art. These include an exterior sculpture Espace fractal. Jean-Pierre Morin created it. There is a glass mural on the Rue Savoie façade. It is called Vous êtes ici by Dominique Blain.
The Grande Bibliothèque is more than just a building. It is a place of learning culture and community. It is a space where everyone can explore the world through books and media. Its modern design and vast collections make it a true gem in Montreal. As we move on remember the Grande Bibliothèque as a symbol of knowledge and accessibility for all.