Delve into newspaper archives thanks to microfilms

Do you want to look up the newspaper on the day you were born or read a press article about the Second World War or the events of May 1968 in France? Whether you are a journalist, researcher or simply interested in the History of newspapers and magazines, the Bpi is a true goldmine that gives you access to a rich collection of articles available on microfilms.

Press microfilms

You can consult French and English press microfilms from the end of the 17th century to today, that have been emblematic in the history of the printed press: 

• Contemporary newspapers and magazines: Le Monde, Le Monde diplomatique, Courrier international, Le Figaro, L’Équipe, Jeune Afrique, Le Canard enchaîné, La Croix, Télérama, Elle…
• Parisian press publications: L’Écho de Paris, Le Matin de Paris, Paris soir, Le Petit parisien, Le Parisien libéré, Le Parisien.
• National daily newspapers from the end of the 17th century (Le Mercure galant), the 18th century (Le Moniteur universel), the 19th century (Le Globe, Le Gaulois, Le National, Le Siècle…) or the 20th century (L’Aurore, Les Échos, France soir, l’Œuvre…)
• English publications: Newsweek, Time, The Times.

Magazine microfilms

Major magazines from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries in many subjects are available at the Bpi, and some from when they were first published.

Whether you are interested in science (Science et vie, Pour la science), music (Rock and Folk, Avant Scène Opéra), film (Cahiers du cinéma, Positif), history (Revue Historique, Revue d’histoire moderne et contemporaine…), or Educational Science (Le monde de l’éducation, Revue française de pédagogie…), you’ll find what you like amount the 110 magazines available in microfilm format.

How to read microfilms

Have you found the publication you were looking for in our catalogue? Would you like to read an article on site or keep it for your research?
Ask the librarians at the relevant desks who will be able to give you the microfilms you want: 

– On level 2 at the information desks:

• Press
• Sciences
• Philosophy / Religion / Social Sciences
• History / geography

– On level 3 at the information desks:

• Law / Economics / Technology / Health
• Music
• Arts / Sport / Leisure

A dozen devices are found near these desks (except Music), distributed in the various spaces of the library. You can look at a microfilm from level 3 on level 2, and vice versa. Librarians are available to help you get the microfilms set up and explain how to use the devices. You can scroll through the microfilm between the glass of the device thanks to a system of reels, to show an image from the newspaper.

Good to know: digital microfilm readers

In the Press space, two new digital microfilm readers allow you to look at microfilms, zoom into part of a page, and adjust the contrast and brightness to read the articles comfortably. You can also scan one or several newspaper pages and/or send them to your email address in PDF format, then print the scanned pages.