Bibliothèque de Genève

Library of Geneva
Bibliothèque de Genève
The main library's entrance in Parc des Bastions
LocationGeneva, Switzerland
Established1559 (1559)
Collection
Size7 million items+
including 2.15M volumes (modern and early printed works)
31,662 periodicals
280 medieval manuscripts
1,500 papyri
45,000 cartographic items
4.4M iconographic items
124,000 posters
66,000 music scores
Legal depositYes, provided in law by:
  • Loi instituant le dépôt légal, 1967 (Canton Geneva)
Access and use
Access requirementsOpen to anyone with a need to use the collections and services
Other information
BudgetCHF 17.5 million
DirectorFrédéric Sardet
Websitebge-geneve.ch
Official nameBibliothèque de Genève
Reference no.08925

The Bibliothèque de Genève (French: [biblijɔtɛk ʒənɛv]; BGE) is the principal library of the City and Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1559, it is among the oldest libraries in the world to operate a legal deposit system, serving as the legal deposit library for the Canton of Geneva.

The library occupies several buildings across the city, including its main site in Parc des Bastions, the Musée Voltaire, La Musicale, and the Centre for Iconography. It also manages the library in Villa La Grange.

It focuses on the humanities and the social sciences with special emphasis on the Reformation, the Enlightenment and Genevensia (i.e. anything published in Geneva or whose author or subject is connected to Geneva).