Catalogue des Livres de la Bibliotheque Publique fondée par M. Prousteau, professeur en droit dans l'Université d'Orléans; composée en partie des Livres et Manuscrits de M. Henri de Valois, & déposée chez lez RR. PP. Bénédictins...

1777. A Paris, chez Pierre-Théophile Barois... et a Orléans, chez Jacques-Philippe Jacob... 1777. xlii,402pp. Woodcut head- and tailpieces. Table des auteurs. Later hcalf. Marbled boards. With the exlibri of A.N.L. Munby & H.P.K(raus) on the inside front cover. Second, enlarged edition of this catalogue that was first published in 1721. The gift of the Prousteau library founded the library at Orléans. Guillaume Prousteau was a law professor at the university of Orléans. In 1694 he donated his large collection of books to the city of Orléans, and added an annual amount to buy books and to maintain a librarian. He also paid large amounts for the actual construction of the interior of the library. According to Peignot (Répertoire bibliographique universel, page 120), Prousteau was born on 26 May 1626 in Tours and the gift was made in 1694. He states that Prousteau died in 1715, but Neveux & Dacier (Les Richesses de bibliothèques provenciale, I - Paris, 1982) p. 82 cite Prousteau's birth as 1628 and the date of the gift as April 6, 1714. Pages ix-xxx give an account of the history of the library with a short biography of Guillaume Prousteau in which it says that: tout étaint réglé, il fit, le 6 Avril 1714, la donation entre-vifs de la Bibliothèque, pour l'utilité publique. Cette donation fut acceptée par les Bénédictins comme Dépositaires, & par MM. les Officiers Municipaux au nom du Public. On page xvii there are some manuscript annotations in a contemporary hand. The account of the library also contains a list of benefactors: le Roi (who donated 89 vols), M. l'Abbé d'Hautefeuille, (who donated about 40 vols.)., René Lejay de Massuere (who donated his whole collection of books), M. Antoine Vaslin des Breaux (the largest benefactor who not only donated his books but also money to build shelving), M. Étienne Arterié, Médicin & M.Robert-Joseph Pothier. And there is a list of all librarians. The catalogue is divided into the following main categories: theology, law, history, arts & sciences & belles-lettres. Interesting catalogue with extensive notes for many entries.