Will anyone actually read a review of the BnF in English? Well, if you do, you might just be a…read morenervous anglophone grad student wondering how the hell to approach this massive French monument to scholarship. If that describes you, I have some advice. Get out now. Study business or social work or something practical. Now, that said, I have actually helpful advice on how to make use of the BnF if you insist on getting your Ph.D. in French blah blah blah like I tried do do a few years ago. (Big mistake, see above.) In order to use the library just as a work space, you can access the Haut-deJardin areas by purchasing a one day ticket for around 3 euros. Scan the bar code on the way to your room of choice and set up shop. Be prepared to be surrounded by giggling undergrads and high schoolers, unless you can get a place in Salle D, which is the law and business section (see above). Keep in mind that there is no wifi at the BnF. The unions fought against it because who knows? Those wifi signals could be dangerous to your health! (I'm not joking.) In some rooms there are ethernet cords, which are not at all dangerous unless you decide to strangle the high school kids with them. You'll need an annual card, not just a daily ticket, to use the internet on your own computer. If you just want to check email, you can ask the employee at the desk to "Commencez, s'il vous plait, une session internet" and then point at one of the common computers. If you actually need to use a book or two, keep in mind that this is not a lending library. If you can find the book in the catalogue, see if it is available in Haut-de-Jardin. If so, you find the room it is in, go there, take the book off the shelves, and read it right there. You can't take it with you, or even take it into another room where another book you need to look at is found. If the book is only available in the "magasin," this means that it is not available to the general public, only to researchers. But wait! You are such a researcher! To get a card giving you 15 visits or annual access to the research library Rez-de-Jardin, you will need a letter from your institution that details your research, or proof that you are faculty at an institution of higher learning. You may also be asked to prove that you need access to a resource that is ONLY available in one of the collections that is open only to researchers. This should be easy. Choose something old and rare that they have not yet digitized from their catalogue. Be sure to do this before you sit down for your interview. Another tip is that if you are planning to get a researchers card, it is sometimes easier to do so at the Richelieu site in the 2nd, although this might just be apocryphal grad student gossip. Once you have the card that allows you into the bowels of the BnF, prepare yourself to experience the act of scholarship as alienation. After making a reservation to sit at a particular place and ordering books for the day, you will ride two long escalators into the glass tomb that is Rez-de-Jardin. The enclosed garden is just sad. The cafe is even sadder. There used to be a smoking room which was the saddest place on earth; at least that's gone. You pick up your books at the counter of the Salle in which you have reserved. You read them in total silence. At the end of the day you can put them aside for tomorrow. That is, if you decide to ever go back.

A truly horrifying building. It's not built to human scale, with giant steps that carry you to the…read morecentral plaza where the sight and sound of the city are obscured. Even more disturbing is the weird jungle in the middle of the library, and the neglected, patchy grass in the other smaller spaces throughout. All together, it felt like we were on the set of one of those post-apocalyptic movies set in a big city after everybody has died and only a few stragglers are wandering around. I'm really glad we saw it-- and I recommend it to the stout-hearted-- but, I can't think of the last building that has filled me with such a sense of horror, dread, and loathing except maybe Dulles Airport.

This is a lovely and interesting monument to visit. It's right across from Galerie Vivienne (also…read morerecommended). Mom and I came in on a bit of a whim--a coffee break was in order a head of our shop--and we're very pleased with what we discovered. Entry to the building is free--just pass through security and head on in while the building is open. If you want to check out the museum portion, just buy a ticket at the counter. The awesome news is the that the famous Oval Room is part of your free admission (it's one benefit of visiting an actual library). In addition to the beautiful architecture, you can head around the perimeter of the room and enjoy interactive mini-exhibits that include a virtual dress-up, trivia, and a hidden images game. On your way out (or in), stop and enjoy a coffee and a snack. The scones are great!

The National Library of France has two location in Paris: this location in Richelieu and the other…read morein François-Mitterrand. It houses a copy of all publications in Paris, and its museum traces back to 1368. My nephew had spent a lot of time studying in the Oval Room, and wanted to show it to me, since he knows I like libraries. He knew the less busy entrance, so got in after a few minutes in line, having to go through both an x-ray machine and hand search for backpacks. We didn't stay very long as the Oval Room's sitting areas were completely full, but that first view into the Oval Room is breath-taking.

From the owner: Médiathèque municipale Médiathèque, rénovée en 2009, qui offre une collection de 110 000 documents…read more(livres, disques, méthodes de langues, revues et magazines, dvd). La médiathèque développe une offre importante consacrée à la musique sous toutes ses formes : le public aura ainsi accès à près de 8 000 partitions et méthodes d'apprentissage, 30 revues musicales, 22 000 CD, ainsi que 4000 livres sur ce thème, confortant ainsi la place de la médiathèque parmi les pôles musicaux des bibliothèques de la ville de Paris. La médiathèque, entièrement accessible aux personnes à mobilité réduite, se déploie sur sept étages et s'étend désormais sur 2 100 m2La consultation sur place est gratuite, ainsi que l'emprunt. Les prêts de livres, BD, partitions, disques pour enfants sont gratuits, mais nécessitent une inscription préalable. Il vous faudra présenter une pièce d'identité et un justificatif de domicile.

Wow, what a library!…read more Dang man, this library is the library of all libraries lol It puts any library in the United States to shame lol I mean its massive and the architecture! It's wonderful. Who would have thought that this was just a library? I honestly thought it was some a government building when I first saw it. But nope lol I was dead wrong. Even the public library is amazing. I believe it is free to come in here and read and or study. Honestly, it is just a nice place to relax. Come on Unites States- do better lol We are looking weak here lol Our public libraries are a joke compared to this.

If you appreciate beautiful spaces, stop by this library along the Seine River. It's free to enter…read moreor you give the security person your I.D. Outside of the library is a courtyard with two clean restrooms.

The Library Sainte-Geneviève is open from ten o'clock to ten, from monday's to saturday's, but not…read moreduring the holidays! It is a very big library with a beautiful setting! She is also situated in the wonderful neighbourhood of the Panthéon!

From the owner: Interuniversitaire, la BSG est également publique, ouverte gratuitement à toute personne âgée de…read moreplus de 18 ans (ou titulaire du Bac). Carte prioritaire pour les enseignants-chercheurs, doctorants, professeurs de l'enseignement secondaire, personnes handicapées, personnes âgées de plus de 60 ans... Pluridisciplinaire par ses collections, elle conserve environ 2 millions de documents, communiqués au Fonds général, à la Réserve et à la Bibliothèque nordique. Services offerts : - Renseignement bibliographique ; ressources électroniques ; - Accès Internet sur postes publics et ordinateurs portables (filaire) ; logiciels de bureautique ; messagerie électronique ; - Prêt (Bibliothèque nordique), Prêt entre bibliothèques (PEB) ; - Service de questions/réponses à distance ; - Séances de présentation des catalogues, des collections et des ressources électroniques ; visites patrimoniales ; formations ; - Prise de vues numériques des documents (sous conditions).