The Sainte-Geneviève library is a milestone in the history of architecture and libraries. As the first university library open to all, it was with this building that the concept of the public library was born. Breaking with the neo-classical trend that dominated Europe in the mid-19th century, Henri Labrouste erected a compact, uncluttered building in the heart of the Latin Quarter in Paris. It combines stone and an industrial material, iron, previously reserved for bridges and railway stations. Here, it is displayed and magnified in the large reading room. This approach astounded Labrouste's contemporaries, and was hailed by Le Corbusier as the first step towards "modern architecture".