Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and Laurence Engel, president of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, yesterday announced a collaboration between the Library of Congress and the Bibliothèque nationale de France to provide digital content for a new online space for collections relating to shared French-American history.
The initiative will also be supported by other US organizations, including the National Archives.
The announcement came during a special visit by President Emmanuel Macron of France and his wife, Brigitte, to the Library of Congress. The couple viewed a display that included treasures from the Library of Congress and National Archives that will be part of the international collaboration, which highlights an extensive tradition of close cooperation between the United States and France.
During a special visit to the Library of Congress, President Emmanuel Macron and the first lady, Brigitte, and Laurence Engel, president of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, viewed a display of library treasures related to the online collaboration on French-American history. Photo: Library of Congress.
According to a Library of Congress news release, through direct digital access to complete books, maps, prints, and other documents from the collections of the partner libraries, the new bilingual website “will focus on the cultural and historical connections between France and Northern America (sic) and, more specifically, the United States during the 16th through the 19th centuries.”
This digital space, which revitalizes a previous initiative, called France in America, is part of the missions of the Library of Congress and the Bibliothèque nationale de France to make their resources available to ever-growing audiences and to preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.
“The Library of Congress is thrilled to continue these mutual efforts with the National Library of France to collect, preserve and provide access to the rich cultural heritage of France and French-Americans,” said Ms. Hayden. “Together we have a substantial collection of materials reflecting the deep historical and cultural connections between France and the United States, as well as materials documenting and celebrating French-American life.”
Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress in the Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, DC, 2009. Photo: Carol M. Highsmith.
Ms. Engel said, “Since the epic story of the New France, our two nations share also a common history. The future website, a joint initiative of the Library of Congress and the National Library of France, will associate prestigious American institutions, such as the National Archives to bring it to life for the benefit of all.”
Shared history
As a key part of this collaboration, the Bibliothèque nationale de France will create and host the website, which is part of its collection, Shared Heritage, while the Library of Congress will select and make available high-quality digital scans of relevant materials from its collections.
During his toast at a White House state dinner the evening before his visit to the Library of Congress, President Macron had commented on the shared history of the United States and France.
He said, in French, “This relationship from the very beginning is rooted in the revolution that saw the birth of the United States of America and the revolution that freed us. All along our joint history through the wars that we have led together for freedom and to defend our values — this relationship which is based on all of our values.”
The French president also spoke with a touch of humour about a significant event during the War of 1812 — an event well known by Canadians. “This White House so full of history that the British burned down in 1815, and I say this in the most amicable way, and that James Monroe then had the brilliant idea of decorating with French furniture.”
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library and the main research arm of the US Congress and the home of the US Copyright Office.
The Bibliothèque nationale de France is one of the oldest national libraries in the world, tracing its origins back to a medieval royal collection.
