Médiathèque départementale de l'Isère, Departmental library in Saint-Martin-d'Hères and Bourgoin-Jallieu, France

The Médiathèque départementale de l'Isère is a departmental library with two locations in Saint-Martin-d'Hères and Bourgoin-Jallieu that houses books, magazines, and digital materials. The collections are organized through a computer management system that helps visitors search and borrow materials efficiently.

Founded in 1945, this library network grew into a central information center serving the Isère department. Over the decades, its mission expanded to reach more people across the region with reading materials and knowledge resources.

The service's name tracks its status: Bibliothèque centrale de prêt from 1945, Bibliothèque départementale in 1992, Service de la lecture publique in 2012, Médiathèque départementale in 2018. Since 2002 it has organised the department's libraries around "médiathèques têtes de réseau", run by local professionals.

Both locations offer the same services and collections, so you can visit whichever branch is most convenient to your location. The best time to visit is during regular hours when staff are available to answer questions and help you find what you need.

The service began in 1945 with a single bibliobus and four staff: director Madeleine Thomas, a chartist; sub-librarian René Fillet; a secretary; and driver Jean Tardy. Thomas borrowed a mule for sections of the route, and Fillet and Tardy carried crates of books on their shoulders where the bibliobus could not reach.