A library to study in Paris

The Bibliothèque nationale de France is open to all aged 14 and over. Come work in the Public Library’s reading rooms and consult the collections: books and newspapers, electronic resources, and multimedia documents. These rooms have 1,500 seats, over 330,000 freely accessible documents, computer and multimedia workstations, and Wi-Fi access. To revise or take a breather during exam time, come and discover our collections and use the spaces and services available.
 
Student in Room H – French Literature  © Béatrice Lucchese / BnF

Practical information

AccEs

The public library is located on the François-Mitterrand site, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. The nearest metro station is on line 14 (Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand stop). Activate your GPS or follow the directions here.


There are two libraries on the BnF’s François-Mitterrand site: a public library, open from Tuesday to Sunday, and a research library. The public library is located on the “upper garden” level. If it is your first time on site, go to Reception for directions.

 

For more information on the public library

Please note:
The Research Pass allows researchers, students, and anyone undertaking research work to access all of the BnF’s collections (40 million documents).
The BnF Reading/Culture Pass can be supplemented or replaced by a Research Pass, upon proof of research, at an additional fee.

fees 

Various passes are available and on sale on site in the reception area or via our online ticket office [in French]. The BnF Reading/Culture pass for €15 gives you a year’s unlimited access to the public library’s reading rooms as well as to our exhibitions, concerts, and shows.

 

Find out more about fees

 

Exhibitions, guided tours, talks, workshops… read the program [in French]

Documents available

Documentary resources

The BnF has numerous resources in all fields: archaeology, law, press, audiovisual, philosophy, art history, geography, IT, physics, etc. 330,000 monographs are freely available, in addition to newspapers, films, electronic resources, and multimedia documents.


To access all these documents, you need to identify the reading room in which they are located. Are you studying law? Go to room D. Are you studying medicine? Go to room C.

Reading rooms in the public library


If you want to know where your documents are before you come to the library, use our general catalogue.

 

For more information

 

Please note
Documents may only be consulted on site: borrowing is not possible

Electronic resources

The BnF has a large number of electronic resources [page In French], which we encourage you to use. Our Gallica digital library allows you to consult numerous documents remotely.

 

SEE ALSO
© Béatrice Lucchese / BnF

Courses and tutoring

documentary research workshops (in French)

Are you feeling a little overwhelmed in the face of the BnF’s resources? The librarians of the Department of Collections Discovery and Research Support offer free workshops and tutoring in research methods all year round.

Our research workshopS [In French]

Please ask a librarian about them

Sindbad
ask a question

Digital creation studio

Are you interested in video or music creation?

A fully equipped digital creation studio, with numerous software programmes, is available in the Audiovisual room (room A): Pro Tools (audio sequencer), Premiere Pro (video editing), Photoshop (digital image processing), InDesign (DTP), Illustrator (graphic design), Sketchup (3D modelling), Blender (3D modelling).


Book a course to learn how to use the software, then book slots in the studio to work on your projects in complete autonomy, via the Affluences application.

 

TAKE A BREAK
Read the daily news in the Press and Media room. Come and try our indoor recreational services. You can test a VR pod virtual reality headset, watch films on your own or with others, play video games in the Audiovisual room, enjoy cinema screenings in the auditoriums, visit the “yellow room” dedicated to detective stories in the French Literature room, and much more!

Services

WORK ALONE OR IN A GROUP

Many group rooms are available and can be booked on the Affluences app.

FIND OUT MORE

Log in, print, photocopy, scan

The BnF has a WIFI network allowing internet use.
Scanners and scanning tents are available to copy documents according to your needs.

Find out how busy the reading rooms are (in French)

You can see how busy the BnF reading rooms are online or via the free Affluence app, compatible with iPhone and Android.

FOOD

Cafés, clubs, and terraces with a view of the inner garden: there are many places on the François-Mitterrand site where you can relax and eat at any time.

for more information