National libraries Library

the lindisfarne gospels 1 of treasures made available in british museum upon establishment in 1753.

the first national libraries had origins in royal collections of sovereign or other supreme body of state.

one of first plans national library devised welsh mathematician john dee, in 1556 presented mary of england visionary plan preservation of old books, manuscripts , records , founding of national library, proposal not taken up.

the first true national library founded in 1753 part of british museum. new institution first of new kind of museum – national, belonging neither church nor king, freely open public , aiming collect everything. museum s foundations lay in of physician , naturalist sir hans sloane, gathered enviable collection of curiosities on lifetime bequeathed nation £20,000.

sloane s collection included 40,000 printed books , 7,000 manuscripts, prints , drawings. british museum act 1753 incorporated cotton library , harleian library. these joined in 1757 royal library, assembled various british monarchs.

in france, first national library bibliothèque mazarine, evolved origin royal library founded @ louvre palace charles v in 1368. appointment of jacques auguste de thou librarian in 17th century, initiated period of development made largest , richest collection of books in world. library opened public in 1692, under administration of abbé louvois, minister louvois s son. abbé louvois succeeded abbé bignon, or bignon ii termed, instituted complete reform of library s system. catalogues made, appeared 1739 1753 in 11 volumes. collections increased steadily purchase , gift outbreak of french revolution, @ time in grave danger of partial or total destruction, owing activities of antoine-augustin renouard , joseph van praet suffered no injury.

the library s collections swelled on 300,000 volumes during radical phase of french revolution when private libraries of aristocrats , clergy seized. after establishment of french first republic in september 1792, assembly declared bibliotheque du roi national property , institution renamed bibliothèque nationale. after 4 centuries of control crown, great library became property of french people.