Louise Noëlle Malclès


Louise Noëlle Malclès was a French librarian, bibliographer and teacher who was a key figure in French librarianship and the author of one of the most important bibliographical works of the mid-20th century. She was one of the first notable French female library professionals, in a field which had been traditionally dominated by men. She was awarded the Legion of Honour for her immense contributions to the field of library science.

Academic work

Louise Noëlle Malclès’ association with the Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne lasted from 1928 until 1962, where she worked as a teacher and practitioner in the field of bibliography. She also worked with UNESCO to develop the International Advisory Committee of Bibliography. Among her hundreds of works about bibliography are textbooks, style guides,manuals and scholarly articles.

Salle de Bibliographie

In 1932, Malclès established a bibliography room at the Sorbonne intended for students, faculty and scholars. Separate from the main reading room, it contained carefully curated bibliographic tools. This included bibliographies, library catalogs, literature guides and periodical indexes. The room, which only accommodated twenty students, focused primarily on bibliographic and documentation needs, rather than general research.

Selected publications