Even the wonderful photographs of de Laubier couldn't completely capture the magnificence of these 23 libraries on a single 11x11 page; hence, there are a number of 11x33 foldouts. The libraries featured include the National Library of Austria, the Benedictine Abbey Library of Metten (Germany), the Vatican Library, the Mazarine Library in Paris, the Bodleian Library in Oxford, Trinity College Library in Dublin, the National Library in Prague, the National Palace Library in Mafra Portugal, the Library of Congress in Washington DC, and the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. The text describes each Library's history as well as it's current holdings and how it is used today. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

The profession's crown jewels are on display in this engaging pictorial tour of 23 libraries in Europe and the United States, yielding what could be the most beautiful photography book ever on libraries. Opulent Baroque and monastic libraries in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Spain are followed by famous institutions such as Oxford's Bodleian Library; the Wren Library, Trinity College, Cambridge; the John Rylands Library in Manchester, England; and Dublin's Trinity College Library. Noteworthy additions to the expected pantheon are the national libraries of Russia, the Czech Republic, and Portugal. U.S. libraries honored by inclusion are the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, and the Boston Athenaeum. Introductions to each library relate its history, collection treasures, art, and architectural aesthetics. This is a French production, written by journalist and critic Bosser and graced with a foreword by James Billington, Librarian of Congress. The 200 full-page and foldout color plates by Laubier, a prominent interior design photographer, not only capture in national and religious context each library's stunning, perfect beauty (never a book out of place, let alone a wayward user) but also convey the civilizing and educational power of manuscripts and printed books in historic settings. Recommended for larger libraries and for all librarians as a splendid counterpoint to our increasingly digital and virtual world; equally valuable for architectural collections.ARussell T. Clement, Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

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Foreword	p. 6
Introduction	p. 8
Vienna, Austria - National Library of Austria	p. 12
Admont, Austria - The Benedictine Abbey Library of Admont	p. 22
Ulm, Germany - The Monastic Library at Wiblingen	p. 32
Metten, Germany - The Benedictine Abbey Library of Metten	p. 42
Weimar, Germany - The Herzogin Anna Amalia Library	p. 52
Rome, Italy - The Vatican Library	p. 60
Florence, Italy - Riccardiana Library	p. 74
Paris, France - The Mazarine Library	p. 82
Paris, France - The Institute Library	p. 90
Paris, France - The Senate Library	p. 98
Chantilly, France - The Cabinet Des Livres of the Duc D'Aumale	p. 110
Saint Gall, Switzerland - The Abbey Library of Saint Gall	p. 122
Oxford, England - Bodleian Library	p. 136
Cambridge, England - Wren Library, Trinity College	p. 146
Manchester, England - The John Rylands Library	p. 156
Dublin, Ireland - Trinity College Library	p. 168
Prague, The Czech Republic - The National Library	p. 176
San Lorenzo del Escorial, Spain - The Library of the Royal Monastery of El Escorial	p. 188
Mafra, Portugal - The National Palace Library in Mafra	p. 198
Boston, United States of America - Boston Athenaeum	p. 206
Washington, DC, United States of America - The Library of Congress	p. 216
New York, United States of America - The New York Public Library	p. 226
Saint Petersburg, Russia - The National Library of Russia	p. 236
Bibliography	p. 246

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