French

Collection overview

The collection covers language and literature from the medieval period, but is particularly strong in literature from the mid-19th century onwards.

Critical material is also available in English, together with some English language translations of key or representative texts.

There are modest holdings in Occitan.

Collection strengths include:

Emphasis on literature, with primary texts collected mainly in the original language
A focus on contemporary authors
Good holdings in post-colonial literatures
Strong holdings in the literature of French-speaking Africa
Substantial holdings of related periodical literature and Special Collections material

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Collection location

Many books are located on the 6th floor South Block
All items available on open access will display the location FRENCH, with the classmark prefix 3 eg FRENCH South Block 6th Floor (3) XTA Kay
Most periodicals are located on the periodicals open shelves (PS) on the 3rd floor South Block
Recent issues of periodicals are on display bays in the Goldsmith Library – 4th floor South Block . For more information on finding journals, see our journals resources page
Some items are held in the closed access stacks. These will display the location Stack Service. Please request at the Stack Service desk on the 4th floor South Block
To locate individual titles use the online catalogue

Related collections

Art – for French art and aesthetics
Film – books on French film are with the Film and Media Studies collection, and French films are with the DVD collection
History – history of France and French-speaking countries
Latin American and Caribbean Studies – for material from the French-speaking Caribbean
Music
Palaeography
Philosophy
Special Collections – Goldsmiths’ Library of Economic Literature (early French socialism, French history, travel), Porteus Library (French Revolution)
Dictionaries and reference works in the Information Centre, 4th floor South Block

Classmarks for French

All classmarks in this collection have a numerical prefix of 3 eg FRENCH South Block 6th Floor (3) XTA Kay

French language	XS
Old French to 1500	XSY
Anglo-Norman French	XSZ
French literature	XT
History of French literature (general)	XT-XTJ
French literature to 1300	XTJ
French literature 14th-15th centuries	XTK
French literature Renaissance	XTL
French literature 17th century	XTM
French literature 18th century	XTP
French literature 1789-1850	XTQ
French literature 1850-1900	XTR
French literature 1900-1960	XTT
French literature from 1960	XTU
French literature of Asia and North Africa	XTW
French literature of Africa	XTX
Belgian literature	XTY
French-Canadian literature	XTZ

French-language material from Latin America and the Caribbean is shelved with the Latin American and Caribbean Studies collection

Francophone Caribbean literature	LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES North Block 3rd Floor (34) XTV

Occitan language	XKP
Occitan literature	XKQ-R

For a more detailed explanation of classmarks see the Library's leaflet 'A guide to the classification scheme'.

Other libraries

For more information about French Studies holdings in other academic libraries in the London area, please consult the M25 Consortium of Higher Education Libraries website: www.m25lib.ac.uk. For elsewhere in the UK, consult the Consortium of University and Research Libraries catalogue: www.copac.ac.uk.