La Bibliothèque Nationale de France 58 rue de Richelieu 75084 Paris cedex 02 tél: 33.(0)1.47.03.82.28 ou 33.(0)1.47.03.82.22 fax: 33.(0)1.42.96.93.64

If you're going to be studying / doing research on medieval manuscripts at the Bibliothèque Nationale (BN) in Paris, be ready for some paperwork. But, with a little planning and a LOT of patience you should be able to get what you need with a minimum of fuss. To help you find your way, here are the procedures for using the BN as described by Logan Whalen, with additional information by Kathy Krause and Doug Canfield.

The first item of business is to arrive early (8:30-8:45 AM) at the "Service d'accueil et des cartes de lecteurs" in order to avoid waiting in a long line, depending on the time of year. To find this office, walk through the Richelieu entrance (shown above), turn right and cross the courtyard to enter the double doors (main entrance). After you walk through these doors, which face the main "salle de lecture," turn right and go to the end of the lobby / hallway where you will find the office of the "Service d'accueil" (indicated above the outside door and on the glass doors inside the actual office). This office is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00-4:30 (although they stop taking requests for "cartes" at 4:00), without interruption, and is the location for obtaining a pass to enter various parts of the library, including the room in which you consult manuscripts ("Salle des manuscrits").

Immediately upon entering this office you will meet with one of the four representatives who will verify your need to use the materials. At this point, you must present a letter of introduction (or a letter from your director if you are a graduate student), written in French or translated into French, and your passport. You will then be sent to the other end of the office, where you will actually obtain your pass.

Depending on your research needs, you will need either a "laissez-passer" or a "carte de lecteur." Keep in mind that for both passes you will need to give the exact street address of your hotel or apartment (they are quite picky about this). A "laissez-passer" is generally available for two consecutive days only, costs 30 FF, and can be renewed two months later. If you need more than a couple of days, you can obtain a "carte de lecteur." They are available in 12 "entrées" at 200 FF and 1-year unlimited entrées ( 1 year from the date of obtention, not calendar nor school year as used to be the case) for 300 FF. (Make sure to bring your student ID to get 50% off the card rates.) For the "carte de lecteur," the representative will take your picture with the library's own camera (for the "laissez-passer you might need to supply your own photos). When you are obtaining your pass, be certain to indicate all of the rooms that you will need to have access to (périodiques, estampes, etc.) so they can mark the appropriate boxes that appear on the front of your card. You no longer pay for your card at the second desk you visit in the "service d'accueil" but instead in the main "caisses" to the left of the main entrance (where one can also, for example, pay for tickets to see any exhibits going on at rue Richelieu). So you take your newly minted carte de lecteur (provided the new computer system was functioning and they were able to issue said card... ) to the caisse where you can pay in cash, by credit card or by personal, French bank of course, cheque. They then "validate" your card and off you go...

After you have received your pass, leave the office and walk straight through the lobby area, past the main "salle de lecture" to your right, and up the large stairs at the other end. The manuscript room (Salle de travail) and its lockers are to your right at the top of the stairs. Now the fun begins!

Walk through the door and present your pass to the person sitting at the elevated desk ("bureau d'accueil") immediately to the left of and just next to the door. This person will ask you if you are using a portable computer (all places now have plugs for computers, but this doesn't stop the person at the main "gate" from asking if you have one each time you enter. Apparently they mark the fact that you have a computer with you by placing a green slip of cardboard in the place holder with your library card. Don't know why ­ to stop theft?). In exchange for your "laissez passer" or "carte de lecteur," he/she will make your seat assignment, give you a hard plastic green plaque ("plaque verte") that has your seat number on it, assign you a locker and give you a key to it, and hand you a temporary seat vacancy form ("sortie temporaire"?). At this point, exit the room through the same door you just entered, turn left, and locate your locker. Since you are only allowed to work with pencil, paper, or portable computers (and rulers and magnifying glasses) in the manuscript room, leave all your other belongings in the locker. It is a good idea at this time to write your name and seat number, in pen, on the temporary vacancy form (this form allows you to leave the room and return for reasons such as lunch, bathroom break, etc.). Take everything you need and go back in the room to find your seat. The room is basically arranged in the following order, looking down the left side, from the "bureau d'accueil" at the entrance: rows of tables with seats, the "bureau central" (or "holy of holies"!), more tables with seats, the 3x5 card catalogues and the microfilm readers, and finally the "bureau de commande." The entire length of the right side of the room, from the "bureau d'acceuil" at the entrance all the way down to the "bureau de commande," is a wall lined with reference material in the following general order: binders of existing audiovisual material that has been made from the manuscripts (slides and photos), an enclave of BN catalogues (close to the "bureau central"), and general reference books and manuscript catalogues.

Once you have settled into your place, and if you already know the shelf numbers of the manuscripts you need to see, your next step should be to consult the 3x5 card index next to the "bureau de commande" at the end of the room in order to verify that the manuscript has not been microfilmed. This step will save you a lot of time since the BN will usually not allow you to consult a manuscript of which a microfilm copy already exists (of course, you can always make your argument if you absolutely must see the original). If you do not know the reference number for the manuscript, consult the appropriate catalogue along the wall.

If there is no microfilm copy of the manuscript you wish to see, you need to fill out one of the pink manuscript request forms (I can't remember exactly what they're called in French, "bon de commande," "commande de livraison," "fiche de commande," etc.?), which are on the table just to the right of the 3x5 card index and just in front of the "bureau de commande." These forms are used to order manuscripts only (the ones for microfilms are almost identical, but light green, I believe) and are basically two identical cards separated by a perforated line down the middle. Fill out both sides of the "commande" (i.e. the same information twice!) and turn in this request to the "bureau de commande" at the end of the room. You must fill out a separate card for each manuscript or microfilm. At this point, the person behind the desk will ask you to surrender your green plaque in exchange for an orange one of the same size. You may order up to three manuscripts at a time, and up to five manuscripts per day. Therefore, it is a good idea to be sure that you have completely finished with them before turning them back in. You may also fill out a form to reserve the manuscript (even several) for the next day, with a yellow form instead of a pale green one. They will keep the ms. aside for you for up to 8 days so you don't have to wait in the morning when you first arrive since when you had in your green plaque you also hand in a different yellow slip (darker than the first!) and they give you your manuscript(s) along with your orange plaque.

If a manuscript is on microfilm, and you wish to view it, fill out one of the microfilm request forms (light green) and follow the same procedure as for manuscripts. when the microfilm is delivered, you may need to wait your turn to use one of the microfilm viewers, but with the additional readers this shouldn't be a problem. One thing to remember with the readers: If you don't know how to use them, ask! They seem to be a bit sensitive about them and get irritated with people who try to bluff their way through and will watch you like a hawk if you're seen struggling to make them work.

Once you have turned in your requests to the desk and been given your plastic orange plaque, you simply wait until the manuscripts are brought to your seat. This takes anywhere from a few minutes to a half-hour, depending on how busy they are (I find that this is a good time to fill out additional request forms or consult catalogues). Certain manuscripts from various "fonds," as well as manuscripts that are rather precious (such as fr. 2173; Marie de France fable collection), are often taken to the "bureau central," where you must present yourself and surrender your orange plaque in exchange for the manuscript.

After you have finished working for the day and are ready to leave the room, you must first return any manuscripts that you have fetched from the "bureau central" in exchange for your orange plaque. You must then return any other manuscripts to the "bureau de commande" at the end of the room. Once the person behind this desk has assured that you have returned all materials, he/she will give you back your green plaque in exchange for the orange one. You are usually required to stop by the "bureau central" to let them check your belongings and issue you an exit pass. Next, proceed to your locker and retrieve your personnel belongings. Return immediately to the "bureau d'accueil" just inside the door and surrender your locker key and green plastic plaque. At this point, make sure the person behind the desk returns your "laissez-passer" or "carte de lecteur." You are now a free person again!

If you think that you may want photographic reproductions of any of the material you are consulting, it is best to take care of it while you are at the BN. You can first check the binders on the shelves of the wall to see if plates have already been made of the images you want. You will need to pick up a "bon de commande" at the "bureau central" and provide complete reference information. On your way out of the main entrance of the library, continue straight ahead across the courtyard to the "Service Reproduction," present your completed "bon de commande," and make your payment.