L'Heure joyeuse, Municipal library in 5th arrondissement, France

L'Heure joyeuse is a children's municipal library at 6-12 rue des Prêtres-Saint-Séverin in the 5th arrondissement, in a multi-storey building with a pale panelled facade. Rows of rectangular windows sit in vertical bays above a ground floor of glass doors and tall display windows; metal letters read "BIBLIOTHEQUE" and "L'HEURE JOYEUSE", and a blue banner hangs on the left.

Founded in 1924, the library was the first of its kind in France, created specifically for young readers during a period when children's education gained new recognition. Its establishment marked a turning point in how libraries approached materials and spaces for children.

The name comes from a 1924 children's library founded by the American Book Committee on Children's Libraries, the first municipal library in France built for young readers. Its librarians ran a readers' general assembly, poetry circles, singing, and a readers' newspaper, "Le rat joyeux", from 1934; an exhibition prepared by children in 1933 dealt with Michelangelo and with boats.

The library stands at 6-12 rue des Prêtres-Saint-Séverin in the 5th arrondissement, a short walk from the Saint-Séverin church and the Cluny museum; the entrance is on the ground floor beneath the panelled upper storeys, marked by metal letters reading "BIBLIOTHEQUE" and "L'HEURE JOYEUSE". It moved to these premises in 1969, so older addresses such as 3 rue Boutebrie no longer apply. Reading and borrowing have been free since opening, and the library now serves all audiences, not only children.

The library holds one of Paris's largest collections of kamishibai, a traditional Japanese storytelling format that often surprises visitors accustomed to Western reading materials. This collection reflects how the library incorporates international narrative traditions into its approach to children's learning.