ABSTRACT
The library, from its foundation, was housed in a single long room measuring 30 m where documents, researchers, and librarians coexisted happily. Paintings, etchings, and objects greeted visitors who seemed to appreciate the old-fashioned charm of the place. The Marguerite Durand library is often labelled a “feminist” library. The library owns a very significant collection of autograph letters by women, of which the oldest was written by Sainte Catherine of Ricci in 1522. The biographic and subject files are perhaps the most original sources at the library. They were begun at the end of the 19th century by Marguerite Durand and include newspaper articles, tracts, invitations, and manuscripts. Manuscripts of works of fiction and documentation were either donated or willed by the authors. The Marguerite Durand library is not yet well-known enough, but it is developing and progressing. It is particularly appreciated by foreign researchers.
