Paris Yiddish Center- Medem Library

History
The Medem Library is the largest Yiddish language library in Europe. It was founded in 1929 by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, members of the Bund. Until the 1970s, it functioned as a lending library.

During the Occupation, the collections were hidden in the basement of the building at 110, Rue Vieille-du-Temple, where the library was located.

Since the late 1970s, the library has also become a research library, used by students, scholars, translators, filmmakers, musicians, journalists and the like.

During the 1990s, the Medem Library absorbed most of the holdings of the four other Yiddish libraries in France.

In 2002, the Medem Library merged with the Association for Yiddish Studies (AEDCY) to form the Paris Yiddish Center-Medem Library (Maison de la culture yiddish-Bibliothèque Medem), the leading institution for the dissemination of Yiddish culture in Europe.

Opening Hours
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 6.30 p.m.
Wednesday and Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m.
Closed on legal holidays and Yom Kippur.

Closed from Friday July 31 through Monday August 31, 2026

Using the library
Materials may be consulted in the reading room free of charge.

Borrowing
Members of the Center may borrow materials free of charge.

For non-members: a fee of 3 € per month or 30 € for one year. A deposit of 30 € is required in order to take items out of the library.

Three items (books or recordings) may be borrowed at the same time and kept for up to one month.