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The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser
Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island
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Overview from Edinburgh Review of French public libraries: four main in Paris (King's, Mazarine, St. Genevieve, Arsenal) with 1.1M volumes for 700K people; national total 273 libraries, 3.3M volumes, but stark disparity favoring Paris over departments (18:1 volume access ratio).
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FRENCH LIBRARIES.
Four principal libraries now exist in Paris; the King's library; that founded by the Cardinal Mazarine, that at St. Genevieve, and that of the Arsenal; besides some others belonging to particular establishments, and dedicated to special uses. The sum total of volumes to which a publick, consisting of about 700,000 persons, has access in Paris, during about five hours daily, is 1,125,137.
In the departments of France, the proportion is very different, neither does it by any means follow the ratio of the population, or the importance of the towns in which the libraries are situated. Of this we could give examples, which prove that materials were often brought together, into such strong holds as were nearest to the scene of spoliation; and have not since been distributed with a view to utility.
The sum total of publick libraries in France is 273; that of the volumes they contain, as far as ascertained, is 3,345,287; and thus, deducting Paris, 2,219,850 volumes are open to the daily inspection of twenty six millions of departmental students-that is to say, eleven readers have one volume, while, in Paris, seven readers have eleven volumes; consequently, the balance of volumes is eighteen to one, in favour of the capital, against the departments.
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France
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in paris, 1,125,137 volumes accessible to about 700,000 persons during five hours daily; in departments, 2,219,850 volumes for twenty-six million, with eleven readers per volume versus eleven volumes per seven readers in paris, balance of eighteen to one in favor of the capital.
Event Details
Four principal libraries in Paris: the King's library, that founded by Cardinal Mazarine, that at St. Genevieve, and that of the Arsenal, plus others for special uses. Total volumes in Paris: 1,125,137. In French departments, libraries do not follow population or town importance ratios, often due to spoliation collections not redistributed for utility. Total public libraries in France: 273, containing 3,345,287 volumes.