Books and documents for consultation

Documentation resources on writing and post office was created within the Gourmet library located in the "Ferme castrale".

This library is so named because the largest fund of the five that forms this library concerns gastronomy ; the Gourmet library is the largest gastronomic library in Belgium and one of the largest in Europe.

It is under responsibility of Charles-Xavier Ménage, librarian and curator.

1. Bibliotheca gastronomica:

More than 20 000 books about food, arts of the table and tobacco, mainly in Europe and particularly in Belgium: bibliographies, history, biographies, recipes of all times, home economics, food chemistry, advertisements, iconography, literature, music, etc..

2. Collection about art, history and archaeology:

2 500 books about architecture, painting, pieces of furniture, decoration, ironworks, silversmith's work, glass-making, ceramic, etc.

3. Collection about dance and choreography :

2 000 books about dance concerning notably bibliography, biographies, history of the dance and ballet, notebooks, dictionaries, anatomy, movement, technical manual workers (ballet, modern dance, jazz, Spanish dance, traditional dance, social dance), high schools, companies of ballet, literature, iconography, etc.

4. Collection Georges Plumier :

Local archives (Hermalle-sous-Huy) and dialectal literature

5. Writing and Post office :

Documentation obviously linked to the Postes restantes museum.

Take part in the enrichment of these collections
by depositing your manuscripts, books, or family menus!

The reading room is opened to the public only by appointement. An expense participation is asked. The works are accessible in consultation, on the spot only.
We make researches on estimate.

Reading room.

Information and appointment by e-mail or phone + 32 85 31 42 86

Nota bene :

The acronym BMG that characterizes certain documents in this website signifies "Bibliothèque et Musée de la Gourmandise" (Gourmet Library and Museum).

Conditions for access to the Library :

The reading room is open to the public only by appointment and following written and reasoned request.
The works are accessible in consultation, on-site, at the following rate:

• • The 1st hour: 20 €
  • By following started hour: 12 €

The amount due is payable locally in cash against receipt.
Degraded documents must be refunded at the public purchase price.

Research by the care of the library for third parties are possible at the rate of 35 €/hour. Payment of the amount due is made on receipt of the invoice.

In any case, an indication of the Gourmet Library must be made in any publication (print or online) that will result from the consultation of the documents or of research conducted by us.

Reproduction conditions:

Only documents older than 90 years old or in the public domain may be reproduced by photography or scanner.

Photography with personal device

Photography computer screens is prohibited.
Authorization for shooting documents should always be sought from the Librarian who may deny or limit the right of reproduction in the case of unpublished documents or precious books.
Documents with more than 90 years of age or in the public domain can be free photographed with the personal device of the readers, provided that the photos are conducted for the purpose of private use and under the following conditions:

• • Installation location of the document for shooting chosen by the Librarian,
  • No flash,
  • No physical contact of the device with the document,
  • Number of photographed pages: maximum 10% for a book, 30% for a periodical.

In the case of a document fully or partially reproduced in facsimile, the date taken into account is that of the original document.

Scanning with personal device

Authorization of scanning should always be sought from the Librarian who may deny or limit the right of reproduction in the case of unpublished documents or precious books.
It will automatically be refused for

• • The documents with "hard opening" (when the document does not open more than 90 ° without forcing)
  • The large format documents whose format exceeds the scanner bed
  • Works whose thickness is greater than 10 cm.

Reproduction in care of the library, with sending by e-mail, is priced at € 0.25 / page.
Reproduction on paper, with sending, is priced at € 0.50 / page + postage.

Reminder: The Gourmet Library is a private library, unsubsidized, run by a non-profit association and can not afford to provide free services

Evidence:

Remerciements : Charles-Xavier Ménage (qui m'a convaincu de me lancer dans la gastronomie historique) et Nicole Hanot du Musée de la Gourmandise à Hermalle-sous-Huy (...)

Pierre Leclercq, La joyeuse entrée du prince-évêque de liège Robert de Berghes.
Le 12 décembre 1557, une journée solennelle ponctuée par un somptueux banquet,
Le Livre Timperman, coll. Histoire de la cuisine wallonne, archéologie expérimentale n° 1, 2009, p. 4.