British Library
@britishlibrary.bsky.social
We’re the national library of the UK.
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'Nothing is pleasanter to me than exploring a library'
— Walter Savage Landor
— Walter Savage Landor
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
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
Teacher CPD: The Tempest in context | British Library
Get new inspiration, practical tips and resources for teaching The Tempest at Key Stage 4 – 5, with Professor Emma Smith and teacher and author Michael Don
link.bl.uk
January 7, 2026 at 1:22 PM
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
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
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
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
January 6, 2026 at 10:21 AM
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
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
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
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
January 5, 2026 at 2:25 PM
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
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
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
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
January 1, 2026 at 10:23 AM
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
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
December 24, 2025 at 11:22 AM
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
Watch the full event on YouTube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4_V...
#BritishLibrary #Libraries #JaneAusten250
Wild About Jane Austen: The Woman Behind the Novels
YouTube video by British Library
www.youtube.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:09 PM
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
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
Learn more link.bl.uk/BusinessPartnerships
December 17, 2025 at 5:34 PM
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
Learn more link.bl.uk/BusinessPartnerships
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
December 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
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
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
December 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM
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
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...
Planned strike action in St Pancras
We have been notified of planned strike action taking place between Monday 8 and Friday 12 December 2025.
bit.ly
December 8, 2025 at 10:20 AM
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...
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
Planned strike action in St Pancras
We have been notified of planned strike action taking place between Monday 8 and Friday 12 December 2025.
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 4:41 PM
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
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
December 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
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
Arab 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
Discover the texts that shaped the training of these scholars: www.qdl.qa/en
December 4, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Arab 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
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...
To check what’s impacted, please visit our website. bit.ly/StrikeAction...
Planned strike action in St Pancras
We have been notified of planned strike action taking place between Monday 8 and Friday 12 December 2025.
bit.ly
December 3, 2025 at 12:48 PM
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...
To check what’s impacted, please visit our website. bit.ly/StrikeAction...
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.
*This weekend only for Museum Shop Sunday. Exclusions apply.
November 29, 2025 at 9:01 AM
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.
*This weekend only for Museum Shop Sunday. Exclusions apply.
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
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
November 26, 2025 at 10:58 AM
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
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
🎉 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
Find out more about the winning writers and their exceptional works: bit.ly/BLWritersAward25
November 25, 2025 at 10:52 AM
🎉 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
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
November 24, 2025 at 3:09 PM
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
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...
Book your place bit.ly/BLChrisHaugh...
November 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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...
Book your place bit.ly/BLChrisHaugh...
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...
Richard Power-Sayeed explains how political gossip and diplomatic cables can chart changing times: bit.ly/BLUserStoryC...
November 19, 2025 at 12:16 PM
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...
Richard Power-Sayeed explains how political gossip and diplomatic cables can chart changing times: bit.ly/BLUserStoryC...
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
Carmen Ávila
Jacqueline Crooks
Misha Ewen
Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
Maddie Mortimer
Vanessa Londoño
November 13, 2025 at 4:48 PM
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
Carmen Ávila
Jacqueline Crooks
Misha Ewen
Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
Maddie Mortimer
Vanessa Londoño
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...
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...
November 11, 2025 at 12:54 PM
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...
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...
We will be observing the national two-minute silence for Armistice Day at 11.00 today, Tuesday 11 November.
#ArmisticeDay
#ArmisticeDay
November 11, 2025 at 10:16 AM
We will be observing the national two-minute silence for Armistice Day at 11.00 today, Tuesday 11 November.
#ArmisticeDay
#ArmisticeDay
Could you co-supervise a PhD working with unexplored areas of our collection?
We’re seeking proposals from academics at HEI’s on four specially selected research themes: bit.ly/BritishLibra...
We’re seeking proposals from academics at HEI’s on four specially selected research themes: bit.ly/BritishLibra...
November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Could you co-supervise a PhD working with unexplored areas of our collection?
We’re seeking proposals from academics at HEI’s on four specially selected research themes: bit.ly/BritishLibra...
We’re seeking proposals from academics at HEI’s on four specially selected research themes: bit.ly/BritishLibra...
Due to ongoing strike action, all St Pancras Reading Rooms will be closed on Saturday 8 November.
Reader Registration will also be closed on 8 November.
Find all service updates on our website.
bit.ly/StrikeAction...
Reader Registration will also be closed on 8 November.
Find all service updates on our website.
bit.ly/StrikeAction...
Planned strike action in St Pancras
We have been notified of planned strike action taking place between Monday 27 October and Sunday 9 November 2025.
bit.ly
November 6, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Due to ongoing strike action, all St Pancras Reading Rooms will be closed on Saturday 8 November.
Reader Registration will also be closed on 8 November.
Find all service updates on our website.
bit.ly/StrikeAction...
Reader Registration will also be closed on 8 November.
Find all service updates on our website.
bit.ly/StrikeAction...