Renovation work at Richelieu Library - What's new?

90% of clearing-out operations have been achieved. Certain areas are now completely empty such as the annexes in the rue des Petits-Champs (planned to be the future library of the École nationale des Chartes) or the main bookstacks’ highest floors (that will be devoted to the collections of the Department of Prints and Photographs).

On the other hand, a huge canvas cover has been laid out over the Labrouste reading room classified historical monument so that the roof (in particular the zinc layer) can be entirely renovated. Two phases will be necessary to achieve this large-scale operation. All tables in the Labrouste reading room will be dismantled to be stored and renovated outside the library. The floor will be entirely redone.

On the rue des Petits-Champs, scaffoldings have been put up along the façade that should be renovated from May 2012.