History 

Founded in 1719 by Abbot Julien de Laillier, parish priest of Valognes and Father Superior of the Seminary, the library was first set up in the Seminary. Enriched during the Revolution with funds confiscated from the libraries of the Cordeliers, Capucins, Valognes Seminary and the Barfleur Augustins, it was set up for some years in the ancient chapel of the Seminary, before being transferred to its current premises in 1853.

This building was constructed around 1830. It was first planned to be a village hall. But the hall was not sufficiently used. It was therefore used to host the library with its over 20,000 books.

These rooms were not spacious enough for the development of public reading and new rooms were inaugurated in 1970 in a perpendicular building, then in 1984 and 1999 in the former corn halls nearby.

The library today 

Today the library has about 70,300 books, including 24,200 patrimonial works. The ancient collections are the pride of the Valognes library, particularly its 205 early printed books and its 220 manuscripts. The printed books range from 1470 to the beginning of the 20th century and give the possibility to follow the evolution of the typographical art.

Today the library offers its public a choice of about 46,000 books, 2,800 sound documents (CD, records and tapes), 20 video cassettes, 150 CD Rom versions, 81 slides series, 85 magazine subscriptions.

Consultation on site is free of charge. A lending service is offered after enrolment at a yearly membership fee (from no charge to 12.00 €). Groupe lendings are offered as well. Sound library for the visually impaired.

Photocopies, reader-printer of microfilms and microfiches.

Inter-library lending.

The patrimonial collections and manual catalogue can be consulted on site and after appointment, after justification of research and ID presentation.

Activities - Exhibitions 

The public library regularly proposes cultural activities: exhibitions, performances for the young, storytellers, conferences.

Several authors have been invited to the library.
Since the fall 2003 a literary price of the city of Valognes is attributed to a French author by a jury made up of the readers of the public library and students of Henri Cornat highschool.

Literary price of the City of Valognes 2003
Alain Rémond for « Chaque jour est un adieu »

Literary price of the City of Valognes 2004
Claude Pujade-Renaud for « Le Jardin-forteresse »

Literary price of the City of Valognes 2005
Martine-Marie Muller for « L'Homme de la frontière »

Literary price of the City of Valognes 2006
Philippe Claudel for « La Petite fille de Monsieur Linh »

Authors for the youth come and meet their young readers at the library, and also with classes after a several months' work carried out together with their teachers.

All classes of Valognes are given the opportunity to come to the library four times a year.
The public library regularly organises activity-lectures for toddlers within the local structures (public day-care centers, medico-social centre, child minder stations).

For the elderly a book lending service is regularly provided by the library for the residents of the Mimosas and MAPAD du Versailles Normand homes.

Opening hours 

Adults' Section
Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday: 1:30 - 6:30 pm
Friday: 10.30 am - 12 pm /1:30 - 6.30 pm
Saturday: 10.30 am - 12 pm /1:30 - 5.30 pm

Youth Section
School period
Tuesday - Thursday - Friday: 4 - 6.30 pm
Wednesday: 1.30 - 6.30 pm
Saturday: 10.30 am - 12 pm /1.30 - 5.30 pm

Appointments for classes at public closing times.

School holidays
Same times as for the Adults' Section

Mailing address
25, rue Henri Cornat
50700 Valognes
Phone: +33/(0)2 33 95 82 40
Email: bibliotheque@mairie-valognes.fr
Entrance for the public: rue Pierre Godefroy