Founded in 1884, The Grolier Club is one of the oldest and most prestigious societies of bookcollectors. Named for Jean Grolier, the Rennaissance bookcollector renowned for sharing his library with friends, the Grolier Club's objective is to foster "the literary study and promotion of the arts pertaining to the production of books." The Club's extensive reference library is consulted by scholars around the world. Although a private organization, the Grolier Club annually mounts several major public exhibitions.