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partnership with Sorbonne University

As part of the partnership with Sorbonne University, the public reading directorate of the city of Ajaccio proposed a study day “Ancient knowledge at the Fesch Library: Literatures, Arts and Sciences”.
The event was held at the Ajaccio Tourist Office on 11th June.
This day, whose program you will find attached, allowed the members of the multidisciplinary scientific team coordinated by Mrs. Hélène Casanova-Robin, Professor of Latin literature at the Faculty of Letters of Sorbonne University, Director of the Laboratory Rome and its renasions, senior member of the Institut Universitaire de France, to present the results of their research on the ancient collections of the Fesch Heritage Library carried out over the last two years. For example, teams of researchers have regularly traveled to Ajaccio to explore the Fesch Library and have selected outstanding books illustrating their research in their field of expertise.
The day marked half of the exploration of the Fesch fund that will be completed by the end of 2025. The idea was to present the specificities of ancient collections of Ancient Ancients with 20-minute speaking times by researchers
For this unique occasion, the Fesch Heritage Library team offered a live broadcast of the study day on the Fesch Heritage Library’s YouTube channel. Below is the link: Link of Movies


History

The Fesch library was created on the initiative of Lucien Bonaparte, while he was Napoleon’s Minister of the Interior. In 1801, he commissioned André-François Miot, Administrator of Corsica, to bring 12,310 volumes from revolutionary confiscation. The creation of the book collection therefore preceded the construction of the library.
Built under Napoleon III, the Heritage Library was officially opened in 1868, in the north wing of the Palais Fesch, which was originally intended to be a gallery for the exhibition of large paintings. Since 1986, the library has been listed as a historical monument in its entirety, including library woodwork, and the large central reading table.

Collections

The old fund has been established over the years through successive donations. Currently, it has some 40,000 works, including 29 incunables printed mostly in Italy between 1455 and 150, 200 manuscripts from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, numerous rare editions and works by prestigious publishers.
These collections are arranged for part on the shelves in the heritage hall (about 25,000 works) date mainly from the 16th to the 18th century, the other part being kept in the reserve.

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Présentation of Ms Guerrini, Elue à la Culture de la Ville d'Ajaccio

PATRONAGE


This project will ensure that the library's heritage assets are preserved, while enhancing their value to the public, both researchers and visitors. The space at the back of the room will allow you to present the old fund to the general public. Two windows will be installed with proper lighting. The aim is to show the "Treasures of the library", with a regular rotation as a permanent exhibition. Touch tablets would present the library and its fund and have headphones to respect the students' tranquility.


RESTORE


From the autumn of 2021, the Heritage Library will benefit from major renovation work. The work will cover the complete redesign of the air management and treatment system and the upgrading of electrical and light facilities. The reception hall, shelving, central table and gallery overlooking the heritage hall are also restored, as well as the existing floorspace. This renovation will allow better management of the flow of visitors, the safety, the protection of works and the conditions of the atmosphere more adapted to the heritage room, its unique wooden furniture and the works contained within it.