An Evening for the Thoughtful and the Curious: the American Library’s 2025 Gala in Paris

The annual Gala for the American Library in Paris is their most significant fundraising event of the year, directly supporting the Library’s collection, programs, and services that have served readers, writers, and thinkers for over 105 years.   

It was a privilege again this year to join over 200 of the American Library’s biggest supporters and friends for an unforgettable evening of celebration and community in honor of bestselling author Erik Larson, and in support of the Library. The Gala is one of the Library’s most anticipated evenings, celebrating all that this institution stands for: a century-long tradition of free inquiry, a cultural bridge, and a community rooted in curiosity.  

The event took place on June 4th, at the iconic Automobile Club of France. This year’s sold-out festivities began with an elegant cocktail reception on the Club’s terrace overlooking the Place de la Concorde. Guests mingled, sipped champagne, and enjoyed delicious hors d’oeuvres in the Concorde Salon, enjoying the view from this fabulous location. We descended from this lovely perch to enjoy dinner in the Club’s Bibliothèque Clément-Bayard, an actual lending library.  

Against a backdrop of books, guests were warmly greeted by the Library Executive Director, Audrey Chapuis, who graciously welcomed all attendees with “A toast to all of you: Please raise your glasses to the thoughtful and curious of the world, and to the libraries that nourish them: to the fearless writers among us, and all of you insatiable readers; Here’s to the joy of finding yourselves in a room full of kindred spirits.” She then enthusiastically introduced acclaimed bestselling author, Erik Larson, as this year’s keynote speaker and Gala honoree.   

One of the singular storytellers of our time, Erik Larson is the master author behind The Devil in the White City and The Demon of Unrest. Larson’s works transport readers through time, creating narratives that not only bring life to his characters, but also history’s pivotal moments.  Along with his previous national bestsellers, his books have collectively sold more than twelve million copies and have been published in nearly forty countries. 

Books are at the very core of the American Library in Paris. It was founded in 1920 by the American Library Association to house a massive collection of books sent to American soldiers fighting in World War I. Its motto “Atrum post bellum, ex libris lux” (After the darkness of war, the light of books) reflects the spirit of its creation. Steadfast to its charter, which promised to bring the best of American literature, culture and library science to readers in France, the Library persevered through the dark days of World War II and the German occupation to continue this mission. 

The Library has a history of tenacity and service. Since its inception, it has expanded into the largest English language lending library on the European Continent. A literary center, the Library annually hosts more than 300 authors, filmmakers, journalists and other public figures and experts. 

A very unique library, it has never received federal funding. Its longevity is entirely due to philanthropic gifts and grants, and continual fundraising by supporters who believe in the power of libraries. These devotees to the “thoughtful and curious” have managed to create a small community feel in the center of Paris, where the Library is an inviting destination to over 80,000 visitors each year, who enjoy the extensive resources of academic, historic, and popular materials available for lending and consultation. 

The American Library in Paris is far more than a lending library, and it remains a symbol of American and French relations. It is a place to share ideas, emotions and sensations with fellow enthusiasts of the written word and the life of the mind. That sharing and exchange is the very essence of what libraries offer. Membership in the Library offers a chance to share in this culture and to play a part in the continuing story of the American Library in Paris.