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membership

Why become a member?

By becoming a member of the Institut français, you will help support the Institut's activities. In return you will receive:



To become a member

Drop by the Institut with the amount due and a proof of address.

  • CLASSIC £45  
             20 items for 3 weeks, incl. 5 feature films and new items.
All items are extendable twice, exc. DVDs and new items
  • KIDS (up to 12 yrs) £30
             For the Children's library only
20 items for 3 weeks, incl. 5 feature films and new items.
             All items are extendable twice, exc. DVDs and new items
  • FAMILY £100
             80 items for 3 weeks, incl. 15 feature films and new items.
All items are extendable twice, exc. DVDs and new items
  • PREMIUM £100
             Unlimited number of items for 9 weeks
  • Concessions (on presentation of the necessary identification): full-time students,
    children (under 18), senior citizens, unemployed, registered disabled and French language teachers
    - BFI Southbank, ICA and Riverside Studios members
    - Students of the Instituto Cervantes, the Italian Cultural Institute and Goethe-Institut London
    - ResCard, Staffcard and Lifestyle holders
    - members of CILIP
    children (under 18), senior citizens, unemployed, registered disabled and French language teachers, BFI Southbank, ICA and Riverside Studios members, Students of the Instituto Cervantes, the Italian Cultural Institute and Goethe-Institut London, ResCard, Staffcard and Lifestyle holders, members of CILIP
    : £35

All students at the Institut's Language Centre receive a Free annual membership,  upon presentation of the receipt issued upon enrolment.

 

 

Borrowing Rights & Rules


Those wishing to borrow material from la Médiathèque must present a valid membership card.
All library items on open shelves may be borrowed except periodicals and reference documents marked /U/
At the Children's Library, back copies of periodicals may be taken out on loan.

Items for loan
Adult Library: 20 items (included 5 feature films)
Children's Library: 20 items
(included 5 feature films)


Loan Period
up to 3 weeks.

Renewals
Books: provided your books are not required by another borrower you may renew them once (by letter, fax, email)
Audio-visual material is not renewable.

Reservations
Two items maximum at the issuing desk

Overdues
For documents held beyond the due date, borrowers will be charged a fine:
20p per day per item

Replacement
Lost or damaged documents: the cost of purchasing a new copy

Returns Box
An outside opening hours drop-off box is available within the Institut's opening times.

Your Account
Items borrowed and due dates can be checked online here
To access your account you need your membership card number and a PIN.
The default PIN is 123. You can then change it as you wish.

Rules & Regulations
Users applying for membership must abide by la Médiathèque's rules and regulations.
A hard copy of the rules and regulations is available at la Médiathèque; alternatively, they may be downloaded here

 

 
Collection
General Collection


La Médiathèque is open to the public, offering wide and varied documentation on all aspects of France, and especially the works of French and French-speaking authors.

Every field of knowledge is covered in various media:


Our general collection is open to the public free of charge; borrowing rights are reserved for members of the Institut français only.

For more information on becoming a member, click here

For more information on the library's borrowing rights, click here.

 

Image
© Tristan Buxtorf

Special Collections

  • 'Old' Collections

    The Archives of la Médiathèque contain a number of 'old' volumes, such as the Larousse du XIXe siècle, and 17th/18th/19th-century 'classics', especially in the fields of history, literature and arts. Details of part of the collection are listed in this document . Please contact a member of staff for details of the full collection. Readers may consult 'old' volumes on the premises; 48 hours prior notice required.

 

Conferences

The library has archival material of over 200 conferences held at the Institut français over the last 40 years. All the recordings have been digitized and are available to consult at la Médiathèque. Click here for a list of conferences; alternatively consult the online catalogue , or ask for a hard copy of the list at la Médiathèque. To sample our recordings, click on the conference of your choice.


The library has archival material of over 200 conferences held at the Institut Français over the last 40 years.

To listen to extracts of some of the conferences, please click here

Periodicals


A list of titles held is available for reference at the issuing desk or can be downloaded here.

  • 58 current titles ; back issues of more titles (please enquire for further details)

  • 35 "old" titles (L'Illustration, Le Mercure de France, Le Théâtre illustré, etc.)

  • Free on-line access to back issues of 12 newspapers and magazines

 

Consultation

  • Current and previous year, on the premises or to take out

  • Back issues and old titles are kept in the archives (a 48 hours notice is required for consultation)


Titles available at la Médiathèque


Arts

Image
photo by Magali Laigne


Art Presse
Beaux Arts Magazine
Connaissance des arts
Intramuros
L'Oeil

 

Children's magazines

Dada
J'aime lire
Je bouquine
Le Journal des enfants
Okapi
Le petit Léonard
Science & Vie Junior
Spirou

Cinema

Cahiers du cinéma
Cinémaction
Positif
Première
Studies in French Cinema
Trafic

Comic Books

dBD

Culture

Les Inrockuptibles
Télérama

Daily News

Le Figaro
Libération
Le Monde

Education, Social & Economic Sciences

Cahiers français
Le Débat
Esprit
L'Etudiant
L'Expansion
French
Le Monde diplomatique
Les Temps Modernes
Mouvement social
Regards sur l'actualité
Revue Internationale du droit d'auteur
Sciences humaines


Food & Wine

Cuisine et vins de France

History & Geography

Détours en France
Géo
L'Histoire
Le temps des médias
Vingtième siècle

Literature & Linguistics

French Cultural Studies
Lire
Le Magazine Littéraire
Matricule des anges
La Nouvelle Revue Française
La Quinzaine Littéraire

Music

Chorus
Jazzman
Les Inrockuptibles
Le Monde de la Musique

Science

La Recherche
Science & avenir

Teenagers

Le Monde des ados
Muze

Weekly News

Le Canard enchaîné
Charlie Hebdo
Courrier International
Jeune Afrique
L'Express
Marianne
Le Nouvel Observateur
Paris Match
Le Point

Women's Interest

Elle

 

Free French Archives

Our Collection

  • Periodicals published in the UK (in French and English) during the Second World War

  • Books published during 1939-1945

  • Recordings: LP's and audio-tapes

  • Manuscripts of Denis Saurat, Director of the Institut français during the Second World War

A listing of the documents we hold can be downloaded here . Image

These documents are for reference only.

Appointments required for consultation: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


 

Websites on the Forces Françaises Libres

Musée de la Résistance Nationale
Fondation Charles de Gaulle Image
Anglia Polytechnic University Library
Churchill Foundation
Imperial War Museum
Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres
Fondation France Libre

 

 

 
contact us
La Médiathèque
17 Queensberry Place
LONDON SW7 2DT
T: 020 7871 3545
F: 020 7581 3519
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Children's Library
32 Harrington Road
LONDON SW7 2DT
General & Ciné lumière
17 Queensberry Place
LONDON SW7 2DT
T: 020 7871 3515
F: 020 7871 3519
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Language Centre
14 Cromwell Place
LONDON SW7 2JR
T: 020 7581 2701
F: 020 7581 0061
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Image by Tube: South Kensington Station (Circle, District & Piccadilly lines)
by bus: 14, 414, 45a, 49, 70, 74, 345, 360, C1
no disabled access facilities

What's the quickest way to get to the Institut français ?
Find out with Journey Planner.

Get here with Journey Planner
 

 Staff & Acquisition Fields


 

Amélie De Lima
History
Education
Media
Law
Economy
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Ophélie Ramonatxo
Head Librarian
Science
Cuisine
Feature films

 

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Nicolas Christian
Music (CDs)
Sociology
Politics
Philosophy / Psychology
Sports
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Aurore Dauger
Talking-books
Comics / Detective Novels
Children's books
Geography / Tourism

Children's books

Science-fiction

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Léonore Schick

Press / Magazines
Art, Cinema
Performing arts

Fashion
Culturetheque administrator

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Anissa Rachef
Literature
Easy French
Documentary films

International Relations

Religion

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e-ressources

 

Free Electronic Audio Resources
On these pages, la Médiathèque offers free, unrestricted access (for downloading and streaming) to music and documentary audio recordings. All the music available here is free of copyright.

Audio Documents

A wide range of audio material of all kinds is available on the net. La Médiathèque's selection ranges from scientific conferences, to historic recordings of literary texts, alternative radio stations and avant garde art archives.

Conferences (audio and/or video)

Canal Académie
Canal U
Cité des sciences
Colloques et conférences télé
Diffusion des Savoirs
Encyclopédie Sonore
La bibliothèque sonore
Les archives audiovisuelles de la recherche en sciences humaines et sociales

 

Poetry/Prose Readings

La revue des ressources
Weblettres (directory)

 

Miscellaneous

Arte radio
Là-bas si j'y suis
Radio France Culture
Radio France Inter
Rezo (directory)
Radio Suisse Romande
Télérama Radio
Tous les podcasts (directory)
UbuWeb
Archives Sonores de Zalea

 

Free Music

As for Free Software and Copyleft, Free Music is based on the idea that the creation, reproduction and distribution of music for personal, non-commercial purposes should be completely unrestricted. Developed outside the commercial system, Free Music is based on a legal system of free licensing, a system that questions the management and traditional distribution of copyrights.

La Médiathèque's selection includes many little-known independent artists, not signed to traditional labels, and completes our collection of CDs available to borrow or consult on our premises.


Image

Au bout du fil
Boxson
Copyleft attitude
Dogmazic
Erreur404 (directory)
max2son

For more information about Free Music:

Creative Commons
musique-libre.com

 

Library Resources
  • Selective bibliographies

Work and Workers - May 2009
BD – April 2007
Contemporary Artists – December 2006
Polar – October 2006
Francophonie - May 2006
Migrations – December 2005
Regards d'Afriques – November 2005
New in Sociology – July 2005
Itineraires – June 2005
Film, acte d'amour: a selective bibliography of the New Wave' – April 2005
Carribean Islands – April 2005
Ceux de 14 – November 2004
Romans historiques – March 2004
Femmes – February 2004
Villes noires / Films polars – July 2003
Algerie – March 2003

Image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Magali Laigne
Full Text Electronic Journals


PERSEE
Website for scientific journals in the Social and Human Sciences, established by the Ministry of State Education
CAIRN
Website for Francophone journals in the Social and Human Sciences, established by the University of Liège (Belgium) and francophone publishers
Revues.org
Offers access to 46 Social Siences online periodicals
Bibliothèque virtuelle de l'Ecole Nationale Supérieure
Online database of the Ecole Normale Supérieure Lettres et Sciences Humaines
Bibliothèque virtuelle de périodiques
Offers access to 650 online periodicals
Bibliothèque des sciences humaines (Université Libre de Bruxelles)
Human Sciences online periodicals
La revue des revues
The bi-monthly ADPF La Revue des revues consists of five articles taken from well-known French general and special interest journals and magazines. The Revue Review aims to provide an insight into French intellectual life, and to contribute to intellectual debate. All articles are available in French, with translations into English, Arab, Chinese, Spanish and Russian.


  • Culture/Art

Africultures, cultures africaines
Belphégor - Revue de littérature populaire et culture médiatique
Cahiers du cinéma
Chaoid - revue création critique
Cuisine et Vins de France en ligne : recettes, astuces, conseils, vignobles, vin, info, actualités consommation ...
Galaxies, la litterature de Science-Fiction
In Situ : la revue de l'Inventaire
Le BBF électronique
Le Film Francais : le premier hebdomadaire des professionnels de l'audiovisuel
Les Inrockuptibles
Lire
Livres Hebdo
Octopus, le journal en ligne des musiques libres et inventives
Persée - Revue de l'art
Photographie | Magazine
Synesthésie
Télérama
Tout-Fait: Marcel Duchamp Studies Online Journal
  • Economics

ECB: Monthly Bulletin - Bulletin de la Banque Centrale Européenne
L'Observateur de l'OCDE
Le monde de l'education
La vie universitaire
L'Etudiant

  • Human Sciences

CLIO en Afrique - Bulletin d'anthropologie et d'histoire africaines en langue francaise
CLIO- Histoire, Femmes et Sociétés
Érudit | Revue d'histoire de l'Amérique française
Érudit | Théologiques
L'Homme
Noesis
Population & Sociétés - Bulletin mensuel d'information de l'Institut national d'études démographiques
Population et Sociétés
Revue Géologie de la France
Socio-Anthropologie

  • Law

Actualite et droit international
Droit et Nouvelles Technologies: Actualités
Journal Officiel de l'Union Européenne
Journal Officiel de la République française
Jurismag
Les cahiers du Conseil constitutionnel
LEX ELECTRONICA - Revue électronique du Centre de recherche en droit public
Rajf.org | Revue de l'Actualité Juridique Française
Revue Droits Fondamentaux

 

  • Politics

Afrique Renouveau (anciennement 'Afrique Relance'), Organisation des Nations Unies
AgoraVox - le journal citoyen
CERI
Dialogues Politiques - La revue interactive de science politique
Le Monde Diplomatique
Politis
Vacarme

 

  • Social Sciences

EspacesTemps.net
esprit Critique - Revue internationale de sociologie et de sciences sociales
Hermès revue critique (HRC)
Revue Quart Monde en ligne



Bibliographical Databases

 

  • BPI-DOC
    This free website offers a wide range of references to articles in 100 French newspapers

  • ADPF Publications
    Bibliographical reviews published by the ADPF (Association de la diffusion de la pensée francaise)

Library Catalogues

  • BN OPALE PLUS
    The catalogue of the Bibliothèque nationale de France

  • SUDOC
    The union catalogue of the French Academic Libraries

 

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Le Trésor de la Langue française
Encyclopaedia Universalis
Encyclopédie de Diderot et D'Alembert
Grand dictionnaire terminologique
Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, neuvième édition (1994-...), tomes 1 et 2

Virtual Libraries

  • Classiques des sciences sociales
    Virtual library established by the University of Québec offering access to the full texts of major sociological titles by Bachelard, Weber, Durkheim, Marx, etc.

  • Gallica
    Texts from the Middle Age to the 20th Francophone Century. Digital Library built by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France

 

Selections of Comics blogs

As part of the Comica event that takes place from 14th to 26th November 2008 , the Médiathèque invites you to discover a selection of comics blogs by a new generation of French illustrators with a very sharp pen...and mind. Until January 2009, you can also have a look at the Angoulême Comics International Festival new programme, which has just been revealed: www.bdangouleme.com


Fabrice Tarrin

fabrice tarrin

Lisa Mandel

lisa mandel

Un crayon dans le coeur by Laurel

laurel


La vie au quotidien by Boulet Corp / Gilles Roussel

gilles roussel

Le blog de Gally

gally

Chez Kek

chez kek

Pénélope Bagieu

penelope bagieu

Sway

sway

Cmax

cmax

Sydwenailt by Pauline

sydwenait

Trois jambes, un bigoudi

edward gorey

>> Further selection of comics blogs

blog bds

 
Services
On-site Services
  • Watch documentaries free of charge
  • Free Wi-Fi access
  • Fixed point internet access for members
  • Free access to press-cutting files
  • French newspapers and magazines
  • Printing facilities and photocopier (A4: 10p ; A3: 20p)
  • Audio booth with a selection of CDs
  • Audio point for talking-books or recordings of conferences held at the Institut
  • Monthly reading group

     


  • Group visits of the library (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10am to 12am).

    For schools, students, researchers, etc...:

    - access to press-cutting files about contemporary France
    - viewing of French documentaries with English subtitles
    - access to on-line database
     

    The presence of a tutor is compulsory.
    Cultural and educational packages will be given at the end of the visit.
    •  
      • Please visit this page for further information.
        Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for arrangements.

 

 E-services

    

Video Library

The catalogue of all our documentaries available in DVD can be found on-line by clicking here .

La Médiathèque's collection of DVDs now numbers some 400 titles, 150 of which were supplied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the aim of promoting French and francophone documentary filmmakers. The films are grouped into themed collections, and cover a wide range of topics:

 

  • Festivals des festivals: A selection of 9 films screened at the top French documentary film festivals (FIPA, LE Cinéma du réel, FID Marseilles)
  • Du théâtre à l'écran: 12 filmed plays (series supported by Ariane Mnouchkine, Peter Brook and Jean-Michel Ribes)
  • Musique en scène: 13 films profiling leading figures on the contemporary French music scene (rap, electro, world and traditional music)
  • Mondialisation(s): 13 films selected by Patrice Barrat to inform the debate on the economic, health and enviromental issues related to globalisation
  • L'Afrique se filme: 14 films by filmmakers from francophone Africa (FESPACO)

Items from the above series can be borrowed or viewed on our premises. They can be borrowed free of charge by schools, universities and any cultural body for educational purposes only.

 

Related Links 

 

Le mois du documentaire 

Audiovisual Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (includes film extracts)



Objective

The CampusFrance Desk in London promotes cultural and educational exchange between France and Britain, providing information on various French education establishments and on all aspects of education in France: intensive and extensive language courses, undergraduate and postgraduate studies, registration procedures, how to obtain a visa...


How to get information?

By appointment

By e-mail or telephone


Contact us

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Tel: 0207 073 1378

CampusFrance, Institut français, 17 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2DT


For further information

CampusFrance is the gateway to higher education in France, supported by the Ministry of National Education. The CampusFrance website, in French, English and other languages, provides information on: French higher education from A to Z, practical information on organizing your stay in France, language courses, and much more...

 

Distance Service

Free information and documentation on contemporary France and francophone countries.Question-Answer service, provided only for queries in writing. Fields covered: culture, economy, education, Europe, health, history, language, sciences, society... Educational material provided on request (for schools, teachers, pupils...).

 

Resources

Prepare Your A-Level: French society through a selection of French articles. The Library proposes 50 up to date press-cutting files on topics related to AS and A-level subjects such as drugs, the environment, Islam in France or le Tour de France. They are all available to consult at la Médiathèque. The list is available on the Prepare Your A-Level page and can be downloaded here.

 

Contact us

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Fax: 0207 073 1363

Information ServiceInstitut français17 Queensberry PlaceLondon SW7 2DT

 

 

Books which are not in la Médiathèque made available to members

Readers with a current membership card can obtain a book from another French library. Once located by us or by the user, the document can be supplied within one or two weeks.

Cost: Approximately 10 'international coupons'. The price of coupons may vary according to the Interlibrary loans' regulations of the Lending library.

How to trace a document

Online catalogue of French academic libraries: www.sudoc.abes.fr

Trace a French public library and documents: www.ccfr.bnf.fr


Books which are in la Médiathèque made available to non-members

La Médiathèque offers an inter-library service for those who request it. Non-members can apply through their local or academic library to obtain books and audiovisual items.  

Cost: £5 for postage and handling. This can vary according to the weight and postage method.

Duration: 4 weeks

 

To submit a request please download and fill this form.

E-mail to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or post to the following address:

Interlibrary Loan Service,La Médiathèque,

Institut français, 17 Queensberry Place,

London SW7 2DT

 

If you cannot visit us in person, la Médiathèque offers an annual distance membership for £35. The subscription is nominative and the nominated person is responsible for the documents borrowed.

 

Membership entitles you to:

- Receive the Institut's monthly printed programme, Le Programme

- Borrow 10 books for a period of 4 weeks, 2 documentary films, 2 feature films (on video or DVD), 6 CDs, 2 talking-books, 2 CD-ROMs, for a period of 2 weeks.

 

Conditions:

- Only books can be renewed, by fax or e-mail.

- Postal expenses: borne by you.

- Overdue charges per item: 20p per day for books, 50p per day for other materials.

- Loss or damage of a document: you are responsible for the replacement of the item.

 

To become a member:

Fill in this form and return to the below address.

All further requests to be made by fax, e-mail or post:

T. 0207 073 1354
F. 020 7073 1363
La Médiathèque
Institut français
17 Queensberry Place
London SW7 2DT
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La Médiathèque offers an annual institutional membership for £50. The subscription is nominative (adult student, teacher or librarian) and the nominated individual is responsible for the documents borrowed.

 

Membership entitles you to:

- Receive the Institut's monthly printed programme, Le Programme

- Borrow 20 books, 4 documentary films (on video or DVD), 6 CDs, 2 talking-books, for a period of 4 weeks.

 

Conditions:

- Only books can be renewed, by fax or e-mail.

- Postal expenses: borne by your organisation.

- Overdue charges per item: 10p per day for books, 50p per day for other materials.

- Loss or damage of a document: the institution is responsible for the replacement of the item.

 

To become a member:

Fill in this form and return it to the address below, with your document requirements attached (consult our online catalogue).

 

Contact:

T. 0207 073 1354
F. 020 7073 1363
Loans for Institutions
La Médiathèque
Institut français
17 Queensberry Place
London SW7 2DT
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