Libraries

There are many librairies in France. In most of them you can borrow books and access for free.

• Lending libraries

In lending libraries, enrolment and borrowing rules will depend on the type of organization. For example, libraries run by the Culture etBibliothèque pour Tous association ask for an annual subscription of EUR  13, plus EUR  0.60 per book borrowed per week. In libraries run by the Paris City Council, you can borrow books for free.  

• Other libraries

Foreign cultural centres (German, Polish, Russian, Belgian, Latin American, Japanese, etc.) usually have quite extensive libraries, though most do not lend books. The majority of such centres are in Paris, though there are some in other major French towns. You may also find libraries in museums or in some public institutions, but they do not lend books either.

For those of you interested in history, local archives centres (Archives municipales ou départementales) are usually open to public. You can consult their stocks but can not borrow documents.

• University libraries

Of course each university has a library that you can access for free after your registration (BU: Bibliothèque Universitaire). Do not hesitate to use them: higher education imposes extensive personal documentation and you can not buy all the books you need. In addition, university libraries are very important in volume (on average 300 000 references) and diversified. They are usually organised in big sectors of studies (human sciences, literature, social sciences), themselves subdivided in more precise sectors. Some books are presented on free access but other are stored in shops and available on request. To find them, you should consult the catalogue on the libraries' computers.

• Mediathèques

In addition to stocking books, many libraries, known as Mediathèques also offer other media such as video tapes, DVDs, CDs and CD-ROMs. And some libraries in major French towns may even specialize in films and other media (Vidéothèques). Did you know that...?

The largest library in France is the French National Library (Bibliothèque Nationale de France), recently built on the banks of the Seine in Paris. This architectural and cultural monument is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00am to 7.00pm and Sunday from 1.00pm to 6.00pm To find a library in France: , visit this catalogue :http://www.ccfr.bnf.fr/rnbcd_visu/acc1.htmSource: Egide