A new digital platform for everyone

Books, Films, music, interaction

On 27 May 2010, the Institut français du Royaume-Uni launches Culturethèque, its new digital platform.

Culturethèque is an original and innovative online platform offering carefully selected and edited cultural and educational content in French throughout the UK.

This cultural cooperation tool aims to present the best of French culture and promote the French language online. The Institut intends to target new audiences, bringing together a community of users around the UK who are interested in the French language and culture, thanks to the possibilites of Web 2.0.

What will you be able to find on Culturethèque?

Culturethèque will offer more than 5000 contemporary e-books in French, which constitutes the first French digital library in the UK. Contemporary novels will be available alongside great French classics as well as a selection of essays on French society. In addition, practical books will be available, including travel and culinary guide books on France as well as resources allowing users to find out information about studying in France.
 

La Paysan Parvenu

The Institut has also digitilised its exceptional collection of old books, made up of more than 200 rare editions dating from between the 17th and 18th centuries, and which for the most part don’t exist anywhere else. This corpus proposes, for example, an edition dating from 1788 of Le Paysan parvenu by Marivaux and the first translation in French of The Arabian Nights.

Culturethèque will also propose audiovisual content. An impressive collection of audio books will be accessible to enable users to practise French and discover French culture. In addition, nearly 250 recordings of conferences held at the Institut since 1967 will be available online to listen to. The greatest names in philosophy and French literature as well as cinema all feature on Culturethèque; contributors include Etienne Balibar, Julia Kristeva, Michel Butor, Patrick Chamoiseau and Pierre Boulez.

Podcasts for learners of French, specially designed by the Institut and the Alliance Française in Glasgow, will equally be available for free to all users.
 

Angel Dust

Culturethèque will offer users more than 500 French documentary films about major current issues, including topics such as the climate, ecology, immigration and religion. Furthermore, Culturethèque will allow subscribers access to a full online programme of French films, which will be accessible for a limited period on VOD and renewed regularly.

Who is it for?

The Institut aims to respond primarily to the needs of those living outside of London, who are unable to visit in person and take advantage of resources available in the building. Culturethèque would also like to attract new audiences by proposing new ways of interacting with the French culture.

Francophiles, students, teachers of French, Francophones and researchers as well as those who are simply planning a trip to France, will all be able to find something of interest on Culturethèque.

How does it work?

Users will be able to subscribe online. Access to the entire contents of the platform will be charged, at a fee of £20/year or £5/month.

Users will be able to subscribe free of charge if they only want to join the Culturethèque online community, in order to comment, interact and communicate with other users.

A more standard area of content, which will function like a simple website, containing videos, audio archives and old book collections, will additionally be available free of charge to users without subscription.

Access to the entire contents of the platform will be free during the first 4 months following the launch until the end of September 2010.

Smartphone applications and digital readers are already planned.


For more information