Library at Centre Pompidou

Hello again!

Haven't updated in a while, so here goes. Last Friday night while waiting for my significant other get out of class, I finally got a chance to check out the public library at the Centre Pompidou. It made me pretty happy. Most public libraries here close around 7pm, which would hardly service students. For students, studying or working on papers never stops at 7pm. Ever. Unless you happen to be a student ridiculously well trained in time management, but that is indeed a rarity. I've often wondered how students in Paris manage to finish all their work when the libraries close so early, but from asking around I've found that having jobs on the side of being a student is not as popular as back in the States, which would free up the day for library outings.

Anywhoo, the library at the Centre Pompidou (C.P. referred to as Beaubourg) stays open until 9:45pm all days except Tuesday when the center is closed. It is quite sizable, has lots of tables to sit, free wifi, a music listening area, computers, everything. Most of the works are in French, obviously, but I did find some English resources as well.

Also, on the very bottom floor as you enter, there are a few bookshelves dedicated to finding work, writing letters of motivation and CV's in French etc., which look like a wonderful resource for those of us ready for work but unsure of how to handle the process of being hired in France. (There are all sorts of forms of politeness and little tricks you have to add to your French letter of motivation, stuff that you wouldn't think to add to your cover letter in English for a job in the US.)

The library can be accessed from the opposite side of the main entrance to the museum. The main entrance of the museum is the one with the big open space where musical performers like to entertain, and where the Brancusi atelier is found as well. The library entrance is found on the colorful side of the center.