Collections and services

Biographical research tools

There are various sources of biographical information: entries in bibliographical dictionaries, monographs, encyclopedia articles, newspaper articles, correspondence, photos, etc.

To help readers simplify and make a start on this type of research, bibliographical research rooms E and X at the François Mitterrand Library (Site François-Mitterrand) and the Reference room at the Richelieu Library (Site Richelieu) offer a variety of open-access universal, national, regional, general, and specialized biographical tools (biographical guides, tools, and dictionaries). These tools can be used to find out about the life and work of several million people from all over the world and from every period.

Also available for consultation in these rooms is the Global Biographical Archives collection (which brings together biographical entries and articles on a given individual in microfiche form).

The François Mitterrand Library’s closed-stack collections supplement the Library’s open-access tools, offering a wealth of material for both French and foreign biographical research (e.g. specialized biographical dictionaries and individual biographies).

Artists’ biographies

The Prints and Photographs Department offers essential materials for artists’ biographies:

works produced by artists
portraits
manuscripts, correspondence, and studies
printed materials: exhibition leaflets and catalogs, invitation cards, etc.

In performing arts, for biographical research into performers (actors, singers, dancers, mime artists, etc.), directors, producers, and authors, the Performing Arts Department offers the following:

files of graphic materials categorized by key figure
collections of press cuttings
correspondence
programs from performances