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B1 French reading: what can you consult, photograph or copy?

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read a neighbourhood archive notice in French. Check appointments, photography rules and copy requests with glossed vocabulary and five reading questions.

In short

Match each rule to an action and a document: newspapers can be read on site and photographed without flash; private letters need an appointment and cannot be photographed. A request for a copy receives a separate decision.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

You want to research your street’s history. Read the notice before planning a visit. Find the reading-room hours, the advance-booking condition and the rule for each kind of document. Tap the glossed phrases if you need a word, then answer the questions.

Avis aux lecteurs · accès et reproduction

Archives du quartier : préparer votre visite

Horaires et consultation

À partir du 6 mai, la salle de lecture ouvrira le mardi et le jeudi, de 14 heures à 18 heures. Les journaux anciens seront consultables sur place1 sans rendez-vous. Pour les dossiers contenant des lettres privées, il faudra demander un créneau2 au moins trois jours avant la visite. Certains dossiers resteront fermés à la consultation.

Photographies et copies

Une table sera réservée aux personnes qui souhaitent prendre des notes. Les photographies des journaux seront autorisées sans flash3. En revanche, il sera interdit de photographier les lettres, même si leur consultation a été acceptée. Les lecteurs pourront demander une copie de certains documents ; chaque demande sera examinée séparément4. L’équipe indiquera ensuite si la copie peut être fournie.

Avant de venir

L’équipe conseille de préciser le sujet de sa recherche lors de la réservation5. Cette information permettra de préparer les dossiers disponibles, mais elle ne garantira pas l’accès à tous les documents demandés. Pensez aussi à apporter un crayon et un carnet pour vos notes. Les horaires ci-dessus concernent uniquement6 la salle de lecture. Pour contacter le bureau administratif, consultez la rubrique « Contact » du site.

Read it in English

Reading-room hours and access: From 6 May, the reading room will open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2 to 6 pm. Old newspapers will be available to read on site without an appointment. For files containing private letters, you must request a slot at least three days before your visit. Some files will remain closed to consultation.

Photographs and copies: One table will be reserved for people who want to take notes. Photographs of newspapers will be allowed without flash. However, photographing letters will be prohibited even if access to read them has been approved. Readers may request a copy of certain documents; each request will be considered individually. The team will then say whether the copy can be supplied.

Before visiting: The team advises stating your research subject when booking. This information will allow available files to be prepared, but will not guarantee access to every document requested. Also remember to bring a pencil and notebook for your notes. The hours above apply only to the reading room. To contact the administrative office, see the website’s “Contact” section.

Explore the reading room

Six things to find in the archive

A quiet community archive reading room viewed from above at an angle. One long wooden table holds an open old newspaper, a closed cardboard archive folder, a si
Three useful kinds of wording
JobWordingMeaning
Permissionsera autoriséwill be allowed
Prohibitionil sera interdit deit will be forbidden to
Separate decisionchaque demande sera examinéeeach request will be considered
Question 1No account needed
You only want to read old newspapers. What should you do?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Visit during reading-room hours without an appointment.. The notice allows on-site newspaper reading without an appointment during the stated hours.

Question 2No account needed
Access to a private letter has been approved. May you photograph it?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

No, the photography ban still applies.. The letter rule explicitly applies even when permission to read the letter has been accepted.

Question 3No account needed
What happens when you request a copy?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Staff consider that request individually.. Each copy request is considered separately; the team then gives its decision.

Question 4No account needed
Why should you state your research subject when booking?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

To help staff prepare available files.. The subject helps the team prepare available material while the access limits remain.

Question 5No account needed
What do the published opening hours cover?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Only the reading room.. Uniquement la salle de lecture limits the timetable to the reading room.

Now write a two-sentence message to a friend who wants to read letters and take photographs. Include the booking condition and the photography rule. Use il faut for the required step and il est interdit de for the restriction. Check each sentence against the notice before sending your practice reply.

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