Important cultural center in the heart of the capital, the Charles-de-Gaulle media library is expected to close at the end of June 2011.
Installed for more than half a century in a wing of the former French high school in the capital (the Lycée Carnot), this media library includes animation spaces and two very popular libraries from the public in the capital. In addition, a resource center for the use of teachers completes this set of services.
However, this closure is only provisional. Indeed, faced with the obsolescence of the building and the need for modernization of services, cultural officials of the French Embassy in Tunisia have taken a series of decisions that will soon be materialized.
First, the Charles-de-Gaulle media library should be transferred to rue d’Athenes in the former Air France premises. The building that housed the hexagonal airline will thus host the media library loan and animation services.
Secondly, work will be initiated for a refoundation of the media library in its current premises on the avenue de Paris. These works should last two years and, in the end, a modern set, at the standard of the best French cultural centers abroad, should see the light of day.
Third, the building housing the services of the French Institute for Cooperation at 87, avenue de la Liberté should be sold soon. Indeed, it would be planned that the product of this sale contributes to the tune of fifty percent in the future redevelopments of the media library.
Finally, the year 2013 should devote the inauguration on the current premises of the media library of a new French cultural center which will bring together all the services of the French Institute of Cooperation and will offer to the public several libraries, a cinema, exhibition spaces, an animation center and also a restaurant.
It should be noted that this French cultural center will therefore be a central tool for cultural promotion alongside the fourth art, the house Ibn Rachiq and the municipal theater.
Last but not least, a revised and modern language center will offer a highly anticipated space – for learning the French language.
