50 years of memories for Micheline

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For 50 years now, the Library for All in Thury-Harcourt-le-Hom (Calvados) has been transmitting the love of books and reading in Normandy Switzerland.

This important milestone was celebrated in the library premises, in the presence of volunteers, former members, as well as guests such as Nadine Andréani, departmental president of the Culture and Library for All association, and Philippe Lagalle, mayor of Thury-Harcourt-le-Hom.

A warm welcome

The warm welcome of the participants was orchestrated by Chantal Brunet, volunteer for 25 years and president of the association. She wanted to thank the municipality, which has graciously hosted the library for decades.

Chantal also honored Micheline Guillerm, 93 years old, founder of the library in 1974, and always faithful to his side. “The association is among the oldest in the town,” she said with pride.

The history of the library

“The activity began in January 1974 in a small room in the town hall,” Micheline remembers with emotion. “Passionate about books, I absolutely wanted to share this passion.”

Since these humble beginnings, the library has moved several times to adapt to its growing needs, notably in 1987 to rue de Caen.

Expansion work was carried out in 1998 on the 1st floor to create a work space and genealogical research.

Then another move took place in 2015 to the current premises and “insulation work took place in 2023.”

Current activities

Today, the Library for All offers a welcoming reading space with 6,700 worksdivided equally between children's and adult literature.

“We provide three two-hour shifts each week,” explains Chantal.

The library also plays a key role in local school and educational lifeby regularly welcoming students from the Notre-Dame school and by collaborating with the Relais Petite Enfance for monthly reading sessions.

A decisive turning point

A decisive turning point took place on January 1, 2024: the library passed from participatory loan to free loan. This change has had a positive impact on the number of borrowings, increasing from 327 in 2023 to 499 in 2024 to date.

“We thank the municipality for the exceptional subsidy which allows us to maintain our book purchases,” adds Chantal.

Dedicated volunteers

The volunteers, pillars of the association, continue to bring this cultural space to life.

Their dedication not only makes it possible to offer new books thanks to annual sales of second-hand books, but also to make the library a place to meet and share.

“The library must be a place of proximity where those who pass through the door leave happy and curious about the book they have taken,” enthuses Micheline Guillerm, moved to have participated in the 50th anniversary celebration.

Thanks to the commitment of volunteers, the Library for All continues to keeping the passion for books alive across generations.

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