Frequently asked questions

No registration is necessary to enter the library. Access is free. Simply scan your QR code at the entrance, which you can find on your Bpi Lumière application (valid for 20 minutes). A paper printout of the QR code is available for those unable to use the mobile application.

Please note, any exit from the library is final, you will have to go outside and wait in the green queue to be able to enter again.

Priority access is granted to seniors over 65, pregnant women, people with disabilities and their companions, on presentation of valid proof to security staff.

For further information on access, please refer to the Access section.

Access is fluid every day except Saturdays and Sundays: in this case, we advise you to arrive after 5 p.m. to avoid a long wait.

On weekends, it is common for public entry to be suspended for a period that is sometimes quite long, when all the places are occupied.

Two points of vigilance are observed:

At the entrance to the library
A check at each entrance, including gates with metal detectors, is carried out, supplemented by bag checks.

Inside the library
Security agents carry out regular patrols in the library. If needed, feel free to ask the librarians at the nearest information desk.

Anyone who does not accept these measures will not be able to enter the library.

Visitors are not authorised to access to the Bibliothèque publique d’information with bulky objects, suitcases, backpacks and other bags and luggage exceeding the authorised size (40 cm x 55 cm x 20 cm). Two bags per visitor are allowed.

It is forbidden to bring into the library:
– Alcoholic drinks, illicit substances
– Objects on wheels (rollerblades, rollerskates, skateboards, etc.)
– Weapons and ammunitions of all categories
– Explosive, inflammable or volatile substances

We recommend that you stay vigilant with regards to your own bags, to scrupulously respect the safety instructions and to notify the staff of any object that appears to have been abandoned.

We are attentive to each of you and thank you for your trust, goodwill and understanding.

The Bpi is not a lending library. You can only consult the documents in paper format on site, in the library spaces.

However, some digital platforms are accessible outside the Bpi.

Transferring documents from one library to another, at the request of a reader, is not possible at the Bpi.

For reasons of hygiene and to respect the collections integrity, it is forbidden to eat food in the library spaces. Drinks are tolerated in closed recipients. A cafeteria is available for visitors on the third level.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to reheat a meal in the cafeteria.

Contact the librarians at the reception desk at the entrance to the Bpi on level 2 to collect your item, if it has been found.

The library does not have rooms reserved for group work.

Electric sockets can be found on the work tables by the lamps for charging and powering your devices. It is strictly forbidden to unplug the library’s devices.

The Libre Office suite is installed on all library workstations.

To retrieve your documents, you can:
– print a document
– send a document to your personal e-mail address
However, you cannot save a document on a USB key.

Good to know: whatever the workstation used, all documents created can be saved. Saving is temporary as these documents will be deleted at the end of your session.

There are two ways to access the Internet free of charge at the Bpi.
– from the library’s workstations
– from your personal device (laptop, tablet, smartphone) by connecting to the library’s wifi-bpi network.

Self-service photocopiers and printing servers are available on level 3. To find out the rates, see the section Practical information – Services.

Photographing documents is only authorised if it is strictly reserved for the photographer’s personal use and not intended for collective use.

It is possible to print documents from the library’s computers and from your own computer, tablet or smartphone connected to wifi-bpi.

Printing from a USB flash drive is possible by going to the Photocopies space on level 3 of the library.

No, it is not possible to download documents onto a USB flash drive, as the USB ports on computer workstations are not accessible.

You can reach the Bpi by telephone on: +33(0)1 44 78 12 75

Would you like to obtain information on a specific subject or send us a message? Fill in this contact form.

You can apply by filling in the form that corresponds to your request (internship, temporary and permanent jobs) by seeing the section: Jobs and internships.

For an unsolicited application, please send an email: recrutement@bpi.fr

From the comfort of your own home, you can access Eurekoi, a free online question-and-answer service open to all. Questions can be asked via the public Eurekoi Facebook group or directly on the Eurekoi website. You can also download the free Eurekoi application.

Answers are provided in less than 72 hours by librarians from the Bpi or partner libraries in the Eurekoi network. They will answer all your questions except those involving medical or legal diagnoses.

The Bpi’s digital resources can be accessed in the library from Bpi workstations and from any device connected to the wifi-bpi. Many resources are also accessible from home after registration. Find out more about these platforms and how to access them in the Our remote resources section.

Find out more about the Bpi’s full range of digital resources in the Bpi Numérique section or in the catalog.

You can make suggestions for documents to purchase via the website contact form or on site with librarians at the information desk (readers’ book).

Your suggestions will then be studied, as they arrive, according to the library’s documentary policy. You’ll receive an answer as soon as possible.

The Bpi does not accept donations from individuals, organisations or publishers.

You’ll find information about the copy(ies) held by the library under the title of the document. This information will enable you to find out where the document is on the shelves when it is available (level and space concerned), or to access it directly online in the case of a digital resource.

Some documents already appear in the catalog even though they are not yet on the shelves. These are documents on order, being processed or repaired. Their arrival on the shelves can vary from a few days to a few weeks. Don’t hesitate to ask a librarian to suggest other interesting resources in the meantime.

Good to know: the catalog allows you to refine your search results according to document availability.

The library does not have a youth section, and most of its documents are intended for adults, although some may be of interest to younger readers.

The little ones can watch animated films and filmed shows (comfortable viewing stations are available on level 2 of the library, in the Cinema section), or listen to recordings of fairy tales or nursery rhymes.

Elsewhere in the library, slightly older children can play video games (please note that the selection is regularly renewed, so check the minimum age recommended for each game), learn languages, leaf through documentaries, read comics and online newspapers…

To find out more, take a look at our complete family offer!

To find out about all the activities offered by the library, you can see:
– the agenda section of the website
– the monthly programme available at the Bpi
– the dynamic screens in the library