Polonica in the collections of the National Library of France (Bibliothèque nationale de France)

Abstract

The National Library of France (Bibliothèque nationale de France) holds one of the richest and the most valuable collections of Polonica outside of Poland. The Polonica in the sense established by Karol Estreicher include manuscripts, incunabula, books periodicals, prints, maps, music and numismatics. Materials from the 16th to 18th century reflect the history of diplomatic relationship between France and Poland, from the election of Henri de Valois on the Polish throne in 1573 to the period of the partitions of Poland. During the 19th and 20th centuries France experienced the successive waves of Polish immigrants for both political and economic reasons. Consequently the amount of Polish diaspora writings expanded and they entered the National Library of France as the legal deposit. The Polish section was founded in 1951. Its fundamental mission remains to continue to develop the collection of Polonica by purchase, exchange and gift, and to catalogue and promote them. In the framework of partnership between  the French and the Polish National Libraries the portal of digital documents France – Pologne (France-Poland) launched in September 2017 presents the wealth and the diversity of Polonica in the National Library of France.