Library Bureaucracy

French bureaucracy is the stuff of legend, and hopefully previous posts (on getting a visa or opening a bank account) have provided satisfactory examples of why this is so. But just in case you have any remaining doubts, may I submit to you the requirements for gaining access to the "research" area of the Bibliotheque nationale, where I will spend much of my year.

Everyone must present:

• Photo Identification (passport or carte de sejour)
• Proof of residence (gas, electric, or telephone bill from the last three months, rent receipt, or in the absence of all of these things (that's me!) a lease; good thing I have several copies

Student researchers must also present:

• Valid Student ID
• Letter of Introduction from a "research director," in this case my adviser

With these items, I can prove that I am no amateurish, miscreant, rogue researcher. They will then let me pay 27 euros (reduced rate, since I'm a student) for a year-pass to the library.

Actually, the deal is better than that - apparently the BN, in partnership with other cultural institutions (the Musee Guimet, the Musee d'Orsay, the Comedie-Francaise, and others) offers reduced entrance fees for holders of BN library cards. So that should be pretty cool.

Can't wait to get started!