An unusual collection: crime novels at the Rheims public library

Rheims has had a special affinity for crime novels since the 1970s. The research group Oulipopo (Ouvroir de littérature potentielle policière), specialising in literary experimentation in the crime genre, was launched there in 1973, followed in 1979 by an international festival of crime novels and films. From 1983 to 2006, the Rheims public library received a copy of every crime title published from the French National Library. The article looks at the history of this unique collection and how the library has promoted it over the years.
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