The Bibliotheque Louis Notari, celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Monaco's public library was founded in 1909 by Prince Albert I, and since 1980 has carried the name of Louis Notari, engineer, poet and exponent of the Monegasque language. With over 350,000 items, 1000 old journal titles and 260 newspapers and magazines, the collection primarily reflects the cultural life of the Principality. Music and dvd collections are currently housed in separate buildings, but a new library centre is planned for 2012-2013 that will unite all the holdings in one purpose-built complex. Before that happens, major conservation work is being carried out to protect and preserve the older material from decay.

Later this year, as part of the centenary celebrations, an exhibition of the regional archive will be staged to give the general public a chance to discover the largely unknown collection of material. An ongoing project to catalogue the archives will also make it easier for researchers and amateur historians to access the rich national heritage.

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