The Bibliotheque Mejanes is the public library of Aix and the keeper of the city's literary heritage — including a collection bequeathed in 1786 by the Marquis de Mejanes that runs to tens of thousands of volumes, including illuminated manuscripts and incunabula. The reading rooms are open and free; a children's section, an exhibition space, and a music library fill the rest of the converted match factory.
For most visitors the draw is the trio of giant books outside, an instantly recognisable Aix landmark and one of the better pieces of public sculpture in Provence. The library is a short walk south of La Rotonde and a useful refuge on a rainy afternoon.