@britishlibrary.bsky.social
We’re the national library of the UK.
An aerial view of the St Pancras site of the British Library, showing the ship like building and piazza.
Apologies if you are having any problems accessing the British Library website this morning. We're working to resolve an intermittent technical issue.
Our sub-sites are working as usual:
Guides: bl.libguides.com/guides
Catalogues: bit.ly/BLOnlineCata...
Events: events.bl.uk
Shop: shop.bl.uk
A collage of images including a person with headphones on working at a desk, a person weaving straw together and someone in a lab holding a bottle. A open padlock graphic is laid over each image and text reads Open and Engaged 2025. Who owns our knowledge? Monday 20th, Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd October, online conference..
Don't miss our free, online Open and Engaged Conference 2025, as part of #InternationaOpenAccessWeek.
This year we're exploring the power, ethics, and responsibility embedded in how cultural heritage is created, shared, and preserved.
Register for free: bit.ly/BLEngagedCon...
Hwæt! 🐉
Ever wondered what the epic poem Beowulf sounds like spoken in Old English?
#NationalPoetryDay
Two young children stand in an exhibition space in front of a moon and stars on the wall. Spotted lights shine down, and the children are looking up in wonder shining their own torch.
Opening March 2026, our new family exhibition will explore the enchanting world of fairy tales! ✨ 🏰
Read more about what 2026 has in store: bit.ly/BL-Exhibitio...
Our blogs have a new look: bit.ly/BL-Blogs
All previously published blogs will be available in our archive, launching in coming weeks. Watch this space for an update on when that goes live.
A group of students sat at a table examining documents and books from the Library's collection.
Are you an early career researcher with an interest in our collection? Apply to develop an independent research project funded by AHRC.
Hear more about the opportunity at a virtual town hall event on Monday 6 October: bit.ly/BL-EarlyCare...
Agatha Christie poses at home on December 1956 in Wallingford, United Kingdom. Photo by Hubert de Segonzac/Paris Match via Getty Images.
Agatha Christie’s Remington typewriter from 1937. © The Christie Archive Trust
Agatha Christie boarding the EET Salon at lunchtime on the train from Bulawayo to the Cape. In 1922 Agatha Christie set sail on a 10-month voyage around the world. Her husband Archie had been invited to join a trade mission to promote the British Empire Exhibition and Agatha was determined to go with him © The Christie Archive Trust
It's Agatha Christie's birthday today, and we're delighted to announce a major exhibition on the Queen of Crime, coming autumn 2026 🕵️♀️
Find out more: bit.ly/BL-AgathaChr...
#AgathaChristie #CrimeFiction
There are just a few days left to get your submissions in for the 2026 Writer's Award!
Apply by Friday 12 September: bit.ly/BL-WritersAw...
An aerial view of the St Pancras site of the British Library, showing the ship like building and piazza.
Due to planned transport strikes, on Monday 8 September – Thursday 11 September our St Pancras site will open 09:30 – 18:00.
Reading Rooms and Reader Registration will open at 10.00 and close at 17.00.
Plan your visit: bit.ly/BLPlanVisit
A photograph of an AI robot looking through a microscope.
Join us for a fascinating debate on 15 September, where leading experts, including Timandra Harkness, Dr Shahreen Ahmad, Professor Dean Barratt, Charlotte Blease, Dr Niels Peek & Dr Nicola Byrne, will explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on our health and wellbeing.
bit.ly/BLEventsAIHe...
A quote from 2014 Writer's Award winner, Erica Wagner: "The Writer's Award was one of the best things that ever happened to me. The special connection to the British Library's unique and unparalleled collection and the expertise of its librarians was invaluable."
Working on a book about the Americas? 🌎
Apply for the Writer's Award residency. Winners will get exclusive access to our collection, platform their work at Hay Festival events around the world, and £20,000 to develop their publication.
Submissions close 12 Sep: bit.ly/BL-WritersAward2025
Unlock the secrets behind some of the world’s most extraordinary maps 🤫🗺️
Secret Maps opens 24 October, book now: bit.ly/BLSecretMaps
A view of a display case in the Treasures Gallery at the British Library, showing a print mounted to the wall and various manuscripts laid open.
The Treasures Gallery will be closed between 18 August and 26 September 2025 while we make necessary changes to our climate control system.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Photograph of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor who is standing by a table. It has been captioned 'S Coleridge-Taylor shortly before his marriage'.
Opening of the autograph manuscript of Coleridge-Taylor's piece 'Elëanore', together with a wax cylinder recording.
Today marks the 150th anniversary of composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) 🎼
From published scores, autograph manuscripts, and sound recordings, read our new blog post with an overview of our Coleridge-Taylor collections: bit.ly/BLBlogColeridgeTaylor
An illustration of poppies on a grassy cliff-edge, with a derelict building in the background.
We will be observing the national two-minute silence at 12.00 today, Friday 15 August, as part of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.
#VJDay #VJ80
Happy #NationalBookLoversDay! 📚 What’s one book you think everyone should read at least once?
09.08.2025 12:28 — 👍 103 🔁 16 💬 23 📌 3
A figure standing in the Voice of the Fans exhibition space at Leeds Central Library, watching a woman speak on a tv screen. The space is decorated with blue panels.
An open book showing illustrations and text. The right page is entitled, 'The City Gent' and depicts a smiling man in a hat, red striped shirt, holding a briefcase and umbrella.
A woman sits in the Voice of the Fans exhibition space at Leeds Central Library, watching a man on a tv screen. The space is decorated with black, illustrated panels.
A woman can be seen looking through a glass case. An open book faces the camera, with the title: 'Arrogance - the Leeds Disease?'
Don’t miss your last chance to see Voice of the Fans at Leeds Central Library until 10 August.
Explore over 60 years of fan-made media, from the Library and Leeds Libraries collections, that has defined the beautiful game ⚽️
bit.ly/BLVoiceOfTheFans
Three primary school aged children are in an exhibition space. They're looking up in wonder at a large glowing, pink ball.
There’s still time to cast your vote for the Library in the School Travel Awards, organised by @SchoolTravelOrg magazine! We’re proud to be nominated in the Best Venue for English Learning category.
Vote by 31 July: bit.ly/BL-SchoolTravelAwards2025
Hi Tom, congratulations on your new book! You can get in touch with our team at legal-deposit-books@bl.uk to confirm receipt of your book and the cataloguing of it.
16.07.2025 11:25 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A woman looking at books on a shelf.
Our catalogue will be unavailable for 24 hours from 06.00 on Saturday 12 July due to planned maintenance. You can still place item requests during this time at bit.ly/BLCollection... and may find shelf mark information by using other catalogues.
Find out more: bit.ly/BLCatalogueU...
Thank you for your patience and understanding – if you need any assistance, we’re here to help.
In the meantime, please find quick links to our catalogue: bit.ly/BLInterimCat... and item request form: bit.ly/BLCollection...
We’ve recently launched our new website. While we’re excited to share this improved experience, you may see a 'Please refresh this page' message before accessing our website. If so, you'll simply need to refresh the page, or click on the link, to see the website.
09.07.2025 11:07 — 👍 82 🔁 20 💬 2 📌 0Stay cosy folks!
07.07.2025 08:33 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Nothing like the iconic @britishlibrary.bsky.social door!
04.07.2025 19:06 — 👍 121 🔁 9 💬 2 📌 1Libraries are a pretty cool place to be right now. (We have air con).
01.07.2025 15:32 — 👍 253 🔁 43 💬 3 📌 5
Front cover of Clod Magazine anothology, showing a white and black narrow horizontal striped background, and a headless suit jacket in the same print but vertical.
We recently opened our studio doors to the editors of Clod Magazine – Luton’s long-running surrealist satirical gem – for a marathon seven-hour session of recordings and interviews.
Covering everything from Clod classics to Luton Haiku, hear more on our Sound and Vision blog: bit.ly/BLBlogClodMa...
People standing around a long table, looking down at a variety of books and papers laid out.
Are you a PhD student using the Library for your research, or interested in doing so?
Join one of our Doctoral Open Days for a deep dive into the areas of our collection which might be relevant to your research, as well as top tips on using the Library 👇
bit.ly/BLPhDOpenDays
Melinda Schwakhofer - As Long As Grass Grows.
Our free Summer Scholars talks are back, starting next week on Thursday 3 July.
Drop in to explore wide-ranging research into our Americas collections – from hidden women mapmakers to community curriculum in rural Jamaica.
See the full programme and find out more: bit.ly/BLSummerScho...
Archive of Mustapha Matura, showing a pile of handwritten scripts arranged in fan shape.
Archive of Mustapha Matura, showing a flat lay of two pages of a handwritten script.
Archive of Mustapha Matura, showing a collection of doodles.
Archive of Mustapha Matura, showing a two typed pages of script.
We’ve acquired the archive of pioneering Black playwright, Mustapha Matura.
Packed with drafts of all his plays, unrealised scripts, and personal material, this is an incredible resource offering valuable insight into his creative process: bit.ly/BLMaturaArch...
Image: Beryl Gilroy, courtesy of the Beryl Gilroy Estate and Peepal Tree Press.
Ahead of #WindrushDay, we're looking back at the bold, pioneering women who left everything behind to build new lives.
Wasafiri honours the women writers of the Windrush era, including Beryl Gilroy, poet, author, and the UK’s first Black woman headteacher: bit.ly/BLWindrushWo...
