|
index
program
index
program
|
hello
The Collection
It is important to understand how the
collection of the Bibliotheque National is developed. The Bibliotheque
National is devoted to preserving texts by Quebecers and about Quebec.
Volumes in this collection date back to the mid 17th century. In
1968 the mandate of the Bibliotheque National was increased by the introduction
of a legal deposit. Since 1968 every book published in Quebec must
be supplied in two copies to the library. One copy is placed in storage
for archival purposes and the other copy is placed in storage to be consulted
by readers. This further subdivides the archives of the Bibliotheque
National into two categories. Books which can be read by the public
upon request and an identical set of books which are sealed away for preservation.
Therefor only half the storage associated with the archives need be easily
accessible for distribution to the reading room.
A second important consideration with
the archives is the rate at which they are expected to grow. Unlike
most library collections which discard outdated or infrequently used books
the archives plan to keep every text indefinitely. This results in
a continually growing collection. The portion of archive which is
available to readers must be able to be expanded over the years so that
the entire archive may be housed in the building for some time to come.
Readers and Use
The users of the archives are seeking
specific texts on subjects they are already familiar with. The research
they are conducting is not spontaneous nor does it rely on serendipity.
It is instead based on an interest to expand knowledge in a subject with
which the researcher already has a sound knowledge. The researchers
may be conducting ongoing research over a period of days or weeks.
This requires storage facilities for the texts the researcher is consulting
as well as storage space for the researchers own materials. In addition
large tables on which the researcher may consult a number of books at one
time are required.
The in depth and prolonged research which
occurs in connection with the archives requires reading spaces which are
calm and quiet. This atmosphere fosters study and allows for concentration.
Connections to other parts of the building or the exterior are not critical
in the archive reading room as the individuals are very focussed on the
contents of the books. This is not to suggest that the reading room
be ugly or uncomfortable. The sky-lit reading room, by Labrouste,
at the Bibliotheque National
in Paris, is a wonderful example of an internalised space for study.
The books in the archives are accessed
only by request and are read in a reading room within the archive space
specifically devoted to this task. The archives must be stored so
that books can be provided to readers in a timely fashion.
Environment
The archives also have specific
climatic requirements very different from the rest of the library.
The books must be stored between 18.5 – 21 degrees Celsius and a relative
humidity of 50 – 60 %. The books must not be exposed to sunlight
or other sources of ultraviolet light such as flourescent lights.
Therefore the stacks should be lit with incandescent lights. To accommodate
mobile shelving the floor must be able to carry a load of 13.5 kn/ sq.
m. The ventilation should provide 2V/hr, and there should be a de-ionised
water supply, and a backup power supply.
|