collected orange

Day one at the BNF

I’m back to work as of Monday, and well, it’s not clear how I ever spent my whole day away from home.  How did I leave the house at 7 with the child and not return until evening?  The mind boggles.

I’m working on a project related to C’s work, in fact, it’s for his boss.  There’s no denying that it’s a spouse job, but it’s not all coat-tails.  A librarian was needed and that is what I do (or did, and will do again).  The project is pretty interesting and has sent me both physically and virtually into the French agricultural archives.  I can explain in more detail for those who need more, but for the moment, I need to tell you about my first day at the BNF (Bibliothèque National de France).

I’m sure it’s a huge hassle to get to the goods in the Library of Congress so I can’t really compare my entry process well, but it was incredibly French in ways that have become very familiar.  First, I had an interview with some sort of access-preventer.  I presented my attestation stating that I indeed have a purpose, my contract stating that I am employed, and French-ily, my lease and a copy of my habitation insurance.  I showed off my identity card and the man helpfully pointed out the upcoming expiration date.  In the end, it was all rather fast and painless, and about 99% in French.  He completely misunderstood the nature of my project, but I think that was less about my French than about his sense of the topic.

Donc.  I get my card, I go pay for it, I exchange my stylish bag for a clear plastic box, I swipe my card, walk through a mysterious door and descend.  One escalator.  Two escalators.  All the way down to the garden.  I left my snacks behind but I shouldn’t have worried.  It being France, there are cafes scattered throughout the place.  People are sipping vending machine espresso and looking scholarly.  I decide that I will make friends in the cafe.  Eventually.  Since I need to be back in our neighborhood soon to get T, I proceed straight to my assigned seat in the reading room.

It turns out that the materials I ordered would take an hour to come out, at essentially the moment I needed to leave, but now I know that I can pre-order next time.  While I wait, I look around, I search the catalogue, I browse what’s browse-able on the shelves, and I feel really psyched about this new endeavor.  Eventually, my first materials arrive.  I open the cover and smile when I see the excellent 70s graphics:

Library, I missed you.