Toni Morrison Library, Public library in the 11th arrondissement, Paris, France
The Bibliothèque Toni Morrison is a public library in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, located on Avenue Parmentier. It spans two floors and holds a collection of books, magazines, music, and films available to borrow for adults, teenagers, and children.
The library opened in the early 1990s and was expanded in the early 2000s to offer more space and a wider range of services. From 2016 onward, the borrowing system was fully automated, allowing visitors to check out and return items on their own.
The library takes its name from Toni Morrison, the Nobel Prize-winning American author, giving the place a natural link to African American literary traditions. Those who browse the shelves also come across a grainothèque, a seed-sharing corner where neighbors exchange plants and gardening tips.
The library is open on selected weekdays in the afternoon and on Saturday mornings, but closed on Monday, Friday, and Sunday. The main floors are fully accessible, though the mezzanine level is not currently open to visitors, and a bike-sharing station is nearby.
Although the library is known as a place for reading, it holds one of the largest heavy metal music collections found in any Paris public library. Fans of the genre come specifically to borrow albums that are hard to find elsewhere in the city's library network.
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