@britishlibrary.bsky.social
We’re the national library of the UK.
A woman in an orange sweater looks at a pull-out panel of stamps in the British Library's collection.
Looking to grow your library career? Don’t miss the chance to join us this summer for our International Library Leaders Programme. Applications close on 5 February.
Learn more: link.bl.uk/ILLP2026
Image of writer and essayist Ronald Blythe, best known for book Akenfield, which explores changing rural life in Suffolk during the 20th century.
We're delighted to have acquired the archive of writer and essayist Ronald Blythe, best known for book Akenfield, which explores changing rural life in Suffolk during the 20th century.
Discover more in this blog post by curator Helen Melody: link.bl.uk/86s
The exterior of British Library Boston Spa site.
Due to an issue with the water supply, our Boston Spa Reading Room will be closed on Friday 16 January.
There is also the possibility of disruption on Monday 19 January, please check our social media channels for any updates before you visit.
We’re very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
Coming soon…Story Explorers in Leeds 🚀 🐯 🌊
Our popular Story Explorers exhibition is launching off to Leeds Central Library. Explore imaginary worlds in this free, playful family experience.
Find out more here: link.bl.uk/gpg
An illustration of Battersea power station with a view of a boat from the river.
Have you completed a PhD in the last 10 years? Applications are open for our Postdoctoral Visiting Fellowship in Sustainability and Environment. Funding covers an £8000 bursary for part-time (0.5) research over 8 months, plus travel expenses. Apply by Monday 9 February. link.bl.uk/VisitingFellowship
14.01.2026 12:48 — 👍 36 🔁 34 💬 0 📌 0
English teachers! Don't miss our free online CPD session exploring The Tempest on 3 February.
Join Professor Emma Smith, and teacher and author Michael Donkor for fresh ideas, tips and resources, as we explore the thorny role of magic in the play.
Find out more here: link.bl.uk/CPDTempest
A woman with long brown hair pulls a red book from a bookshelf.
Want to level up your library career this year?
We’re looking for international mid-career library and archive professionals to join us this summer at our International Library Leaders Programme.
Learn more link.bl.uk/ILLP2026
Gallery view of the Secret Maps exhibition at the British Library, with visitors viewing illuminated maps displayed in glass cases under low lighting.
Close-up of a historic map from the Secret Maps exhibition, featuring intricate illustrations, fine linework and annotations revealing hidden or secret geographical information.
Historic world map displayed in the Secret Maps exhibition at the British Library, showing detailed coastlines, handwritten labels and decorative elements on aged parchment.
It’s your last chance to see Secret Maps!
Closing 18 January, don’t miss your final chance to explore some of the world’s most mysterious maps. 🗺️
We are expecting the final weeks of the exhibition to be very busy so book in advance to guarantee entry.
Book now: link.bl.uk/SecretMaps
Illustrated Victorian New Year card featuring green leaves and pale blossoms framing a printed poem titled “The New Year” by H. Coleridge, with decorative borders and soft, muted colours.
A New Year’s greeting from the collection!
Wishing you all a thoughtful and hopeful start to the year ahead.
🖼 Gift Cards for the New Year by W.Place Dickes, 1874
#BritishLibrary #Library #Collection #HappyNewYear
Season’s greetings from all of us at the British Library.
#BritishLibrary #Libraries #Christmas
To mark Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, we hosted Wild About Jane Austen: The Woman Behind the Novels, an event exploring Austen as an ambitious, politically aware writer.
Watch the full event on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4_V...
#BritishLibrary #Libraries #JaneAusten250
As we reflect on a year of inspiration at the Library, we wanted to thank our partners, sponsors and Business Members for their support including Wayland Games, JP Morgan, Bloomberg, Miele, Netflix, RELX and Bloomsbury Publishing alongside other donors.
Learn more link.bl.uk/BusinessPartnerships
British Library catalogue search page displaying the new main catalogue, designed to make finding and requesting published items easier.
We’re excited to share our new main catalogue, making it easier for you to find and request the majority of our published collection. We’ve also launched an interim version of our Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue. Find out how to start searching and requesting on our website bit.ly/BLNewCatalogues
15.12.2025 15:00 — 👍 99 🔁 44 💬 2 📌 7
A view of the British Library at St Pancras, including the clock tower and the Piazza.
We can confirm that all St Pancras Reading Rooms will be closed this week due to the current strike action. They will reopen on Saturday 13 December. We're very sorry for the disruption this may cause to your research. Find all service updates on our website. bit.ly/StrikeActionDec2025
08.12.2025 16:28 — 👍 18 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 2Hi Louise, no, shop orders won't be affected. All best.
08.12.2025 15:17 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Due to ongoing strike action, all St Pancras Reading Rooms will be closed today (8 December). We are also likely to have to close our Reading Rooms for the rest of the week and will update if this is the case. Please make sure you check our service updates before you visit: bit.ly/StrikeAction...
08.12.2025 10:20 — 👍 20 🔁 7 💬 3 📌 4Hello Elizabeth, we apologise for the inconvenience. Our Members Room and Cafes are open as usual but there is the chance of short notice disruption during the coming week. We recommend checking our website before you visit: bit.ly/StrikeActionDec2025
05.12.2025 16:47 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Planned strike action taking place between 8 and 12 December will affect our services including an extension to our collection access suspension. There is also the possibility of short notice disruption. Please make sure you check our latest status updates before you visit bit.ly/StrikeActionDec2025
05.12.2025 16:41 — 👍 17 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 1
Handwritten vocabulary chart by Andrea Levy for her novel Small Island, listing vocabulary for some of her characters Hortense, Queenie, Gilbert and Bernard. © with the permission of the Andrea Levy estate. You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
English teachers! Explore our new resources designed to help widen the representation of ethnically diverse authors in your classroom. Find a timeline charting South Asian writing in Britain, articles and short films on Andrea Levy, Olaudah Equiano and more: bit.ly/BLDiscoveringLiteratureResources
05.12.2025 13:58 — 👍 18 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 0Arab astronomers in the early Islamic Golden Age were pioneers of science and innovation. They developed technologies for navigation, timekeeping and the study of the cosmos.
Discover the texts that shaped the training of these scholars: www.qdl.qa/en
Our services will be affected between 8 and 12 December due to planned strike action at our St Pancras site. This includes an extension to our current collection access suspension.
To check what’s impacted, please visit our website. bit.ly/StrikeAction...
"Get 15% off the online shop for Museum Shop Sunday with code: MSS15. This weekend only for Museum Shop Sunday. Exclusions apply." Gift items of books, ornaments and a floral cushion are displayed beneath the words.
Get 15% off the online Shop* for Museum Shop Sunday, all weekend! Use code MSS15 to activate the discount now at shop.bl.uk 🛍
*This weekend only for Museum Shop Sunday. Exclusions apply.
A woman and a man are sat at reading desks with the woman in the foreground. A book is propped open before her.
Ready to take your library career to the next level?
Applications are now open for international mid to senior library and archive professionals to join us in July 2026 for the International Library Leaders Programme.
Learn more bit.ly/BL-ILLP
Two women, one with long straight hair staring at the camera and one with shoulder-length curly hair smiling to the side, are pictured next to text announcing them as the winners of the Eccles Institute and Hay Festival Global Writer's Award.
🎉 Writers Jacqueline Crooks and Vanessa Londoño have been named as the 2026 winners of the Eccles Institute and @hayfestival.bsky.social Writer’s Award.
Find out more about the winning writers and their exceptional works: bit.ly/BLWritersAward25
Discover maps, private letters, music and more from the Qatar Digital Library. With over two million digitised pages devoted to Middle Eastern history and culture, this free resource is available for anyone anywhere. What will inspire you from our collection? www.qdl.qa/en
24.11.2025 15:09 — 👍 22 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 1
A man wearing glasses and a black fleece smiling.
Schools, explore geography and history themes through the lens of secret maps with your Key Stage 2 and 3 students in this special event with author Chris Haughton. Join for free in-person or online.
Book your place bit.ly/BLChrisHaugh...
A green graphic with a person smiling warmly with headphones and a microphone. A quote reads "All the sources I need are on hand"
I delved into oral history, scanned news archives and discovered what climate change policy has to do with the cost of living crisis.
Richard Power-Sayeed explains how political gossip and diplomatic cables can chart changing times: bit.ly/BLUserStoryC...
Find out more: bit.ly/BLWritersAwa...
13.11.2025 16:48 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Graphic with headshots of shortlisted writers for the Writers Award.
Six incredible writers working across memoir, history and fiction make up the shortlist for the 2026 Eccles Institute and @hayfestival.bsky.social Writer’s Award:
Carmen Ávila
Jacqueline Crooks
Misha Ewen
Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
Maddie Mortimer
Vanessa Londoño
A person reaches for an item from a shelf of books.
We’re launching our new catalogue on Monday 8 December.
To keep our collections safe while we do this, access and ordering will be suspended for a week before launch and all requests for 8 December onwards must be made on the new system when it launches.
Find out more: bit.ly/CollectionSu...
