Welcome in seven languages! The International Public Library in Grenoble
September 16th, 2009 | Published in Features, Info & Advice, Interviews
Welcome in seven languages
Marion Lhuillier is chief librarian of the International Public Library (Bibliothèque Municipale Internationale) in Grenoble. She kindly agreed to answer our questions about the library’s services, her background and why she loves Grenoble.
Grenoble Life: As chief librarian, can you explain a little your background?
Marion Lhuillier: In December 2000 I was hired by the Grenoble library network to work on the project of the international library, which opened to the public in September 2003.
My personal background would probably explain this choice: after a humanities-oriented school education (German language and literature, French literature and library sciences), I started my professional life first as manager of the information centre in a big French food company, then as a product manager. There I discovered marketing, promotion and advertising, which became very useful later for my job as a chief librarian.
Then, after the birth of my third child, I worked as a librarian in a middle school near Paris and followed my children’s father, who works for Carrefour, to Taipei, where my kids became true American Students at Taipei American School (TAS). Over there, I discovered the life “abroad”, the American way of life and the American way of education (the students worked hard!); as well as the Chinese one. I worked at TAS as a part-time French language teacher assistant and came back to France with my children in September 1997.
At that time I realized how rich this experience had been for my children and I, how deeply it had changed my own opinion on people and countries: how much it had broadened my horizons. The benefit of this experience remains with me now.
I have continued to practice English and German for my pleasure as well as for my professional needs. I also use it to travel and visit my children, and have been back to China several times to see my daughter, who studied and worked in Shanghai and Beijing, but now works in London. I have also travelled to Wellington, New Zealand, where the second of my children studied one high school term, and to Patagonia for my own pleasure. Certainly I’ve never forgotten Europe! Trekking and reading are two of my favourite forms of entertainment … the third one is to enhance my linguistic efficiency or, at least, to keep it alive: thanks to languages, it has been easier to make contact with foreigners, who are both similar and yet so different from us. Building such human links is very important to me.
GL: What and where is the International Public Library?
ML: The International Public Library is part of the Grenoble library network and hosts collections in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
It is located in the brand new Europole area, near the train station, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Minatec and CEA, not far from downtown, close to the B line tram station “Cité Internationale” (see full contact and address details, opening times and membership info at the bottom of the article).
GL: Who is the library for, and what facilities and services do you offer?
ML: Open to children as well as adults, the International Library offers various materials in these seven languages: fiction and non-fiction books, picture and comic books, magazines, language learning CD-Roms, DVDs, audiobooks, music and ethnic song CDs.
Access to the library is free of charge. You can borrow materials in all seven languages: up to 15 documents per membership card (as follows: 15 books, 15 journals, six CDs, four audiobooks, three CD-Roms for four weeks, three fiction and three non-fiction DVDs for two weeks).
From home (thanks to the internet), you can find documents through the online network catalogue. With your PIN number and your password, it is possible to renew your loans and make documents reservations.
There is also a special room dedicated to Rosetta Stone, the famous American language-learning software. In this case, as well as for browsing the internet, reservation is needed by phone or at the library. Both services are free of charge.
Salle de Lecture
GL: What events take place at the library?
ML: We also organise multilingual storytelling – the next one on December 2 at 16:30 – in English, Portuguese and French.
There are also meetings with authors from other countries – the next ones are on September 16 at 18:30 at the downtown Library with Colum McCann, the famous Irish-American writer, and on October 8, at the International Library, with Alicia Dujovne Ortiz, from Argentina.
Consulting the cultural program of the Grenoble’s library network is easy on our website or on our magazine “les Rendez-vous”!
GL: What does Grenoble mean to you?
ML: Grenoble is the town where I decided to work because of its cosmopolitanism, which reminds me of my life abroad, particularly in the tram, when I listen to people speaking so many foreign languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, English, German and several others that I don’t know.
Grenoble cannot be separated from its wonderful sunrises, with mountains like a shadow theatre and sunsets with rose-coloured mountains: an unbelievable luxury!
Bibliothèque Municipale Internationale
6 Place de Sfax, 38000 Grenoble
04 38 12 25 41 (tel)
04 38 12 25 46 (fax)
email : bm.internationale@bm-grenoble.fr
Opening hours:
- During school time : on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 5 to 7 pm, on Wednesday, from 2 to 6 pm and on Saturday, from 10 to 12 :30 and from 2 to 5 pm.
- During the school holidays : on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 2 to 6 pm, on Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.
Membership:
You can become a member while paying an annual subscription, depending on your age and place of residence:
-Under 18 or still at lycée: free of charge. From 18 to 25 : 7 € (Grenoble residents and non-residents)
-Adults : 14 € (Grenoble resident), 35 € (Grenoble non-resident)
-Over 65 : free of charge (Grenoble residents), 35 € (Grenoble non-resident)
-Unemployed people, minimum wage earners, and asylum seekers have free membership. Please show an identity document and a proof of residence (e.g., utility bill) when signing up for membership.
Children under 16 must have their parents’ authorization.
Come and join us !!
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