Please note: all BnF sites close early at 3pm on Tuesday 24 and 31 December.
As a reminder, all BnF sites are closed on Wednesday 25 December and 1 January.
The Public Library (François-Mitterrand site)
The Public Library is open to anyone over 14. At the François-Mitterrand site, discover our reading rooms and consult collections on all fields of knowledge, study, relax, use our dedicated rooms for group work, join our workshops or training sessions and visit our exhibitions.
Reading room © Emmanuel Nguyen Ngoc / BnF
Reading rooms
Work in our reading rooms and consult our collections of books and newspapers, electronic resources and multimedia documents. There are 1500 seats available, as well as computer and multimedia workstations and wifi access.
Please note: Documents can be consulted on-site only. Home loans are not permitted.
The 10 reading rooms
Reading room © Béatrice Lucchese / BnF
room A : Audiovisual Media
room B : Press and Media
room C : Science and Technology
room D : Law, Economics, Politics
room E : Bibliographic Research, Books, Libraries
room F : Arts
room G : World Literature
room H : French Literature
room I : National Centre for Children’s Literature
room J : Philosophy, History, Humanities
You can also search by subject:
Discover our Public Library’s Collection [In French]
Resource centres
The resource centres give reference information on a selection of subjetcs, both on-site and online [in French]:
Electronic Resources
The Library offers many electronic resources – periodicals, monographs, databases, Gallica and Internet Archives - accessible on-site or online.
Via Wifi
Simply connect to the BNF WIFI network from your laptop, tablet or smartphone to access a selection of electronic resources. These resources are also accessible in areas that do not require a pass: halls, alleys, cafés etc.
On Computer workstations
Computer workstations in reading rooms grant access to all the electronic resources the library has suscriptions for.
On your laptop, in a reading room
In the reading rooms, you can access all electronic resources from your laptop.
You will need to install the software AVEC on your first connection.
Remote access
Electronic resources can be partly consulted outside of the library
Please note
Please note: Documents can be consulted on-site only. Home loans are not permitted.
TIP
Looking for a spot to work on Sunday?
We welcome you from 1 PM to 8 PM
Looking for a spot to work outside of the reading rooms?
You can work in the foyers, the Encyclopedia alley, the Eastern Hall in front of the Historical Timeline and in the Western Hall in front of the Louise Bourgeois Sculpture.
Group work rooms
Group rooms can be booked on the same day and up to one week in advance, for a maximum duration of 4 hours per day and 20 hours per month.
In each room, you will find:
- Electric plugs
- A Wifi connection
- A Magnetic whiteboard (except in room D, which is equipped with an interactive screen)
Reading room © Béatrice Lucchese / BnF
| Localization | Maximum seat number |
|---|---|
|
Room G |
3 |
|
Room H |
3 |
|
Room D |
6 |
|
Room F |
6 |
|
Room J |
8 |
Please note
- Group Rooms are for a minimum of two people
- Wifi connections can be activated and deactivated on demand
- Felt-tip pens for whiteboards are available, ask our staff
Practical information
| Mon. | Tue. | Wed. | Thu. | Fri. | Sat. | Sun. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10AM - 8PM |
10AM - 8PM |
10AM - 8PM |
10AM - 8PM |
10AM - 8PM |
1PM - 7PM |
You can use the Affluences application to know the occupation rate for each reading room (real time and anticipation for every half hour). The data is updated every five minutes.
1 day reader’s Card
5 €Readers card 5PM-8PM
Access to the Public Library from 5 PM to 8 PM
Valid for 1 year.
Pass BnF lecture / culture
Unlimited access to the reading rooms in the Public Library and to our exhibitions, concerts, and shows
Valid for 1 year.
Pass BnF lecture / culture – Reduced rates
Unlimited access to the reading rooms in the Public Library and to our exhibitions, concerts, and shows
Valid for 1 year.
Access Room I- Young people
Gratuit
For all children under 16 accompanied by an adult. .
The three passes are valid for one year from their delivery date. They are strictly personal.
Please note: The cost of a lost, stolen (without proof of theft report) or forgotten pass is 2€. Pass replacement is free if the pass is malfunctioning or if it was stolen (upon proof of theft report).
An additional fee will be charged in case of access rights extension, see admission prices here.
Amenities
Changing tables
Changing tables are available in the women’s and men’s washrooms in the foyer of the small auditorium.
Catering
It is possible to eat in several places in the Library.
Bookstore
The Tschann bookstore, located allée Julien Cain, offers selections in the humanities and literature, fine arts or youth.
