Welcoming nearly 10,000 visitors a day, the Grande Bibliothèque is the beacon of Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), an institution which collects, preserves and disseminates Québec and Québec-related published and archival heritage. As the largest cultural institution in Québec and an essential pillar of the knowledge society, BAnQ has the mission of offering democratic access to culture and knowledge. BAnQ encompasses the Grande Bibliothèque, a preservation centre (Centre de conservation) and nine archives centres in Montréal, Québec City, Gatineau, Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Saguenay, Sept-Îles, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, as well as a branch office in Gaspé.