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British Library
@britishlibrary.bsky.social
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We’re the national library of the UK.
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British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · Nov 18
'Nothing is pleasanter to me than exploring a library'
— Walter Savage Landor
A view of the statue of Isaac Newton through the iron gates of the British Library. The ironwork of the gates spells out 'British Library' in a repeated column.
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
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.
January 1, 2026 at 10:23 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
Season’s greetings from all of us at the British Library.

#BritishLibrary #Libraries #Christmas
December 24, 2025 at 11:22 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
Wild About Jane Austen: The Woman Behind the Novels
YouTube video by British Library
www.youtube.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:09 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
December 17, 2025 at 5:34 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
British Library catalogue search page displaying the new main catalogue, designed to make finding and requesting published items easier.
December 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
A view of the British Library at St Pancras, including the clock tower and the Piazza.
December 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
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. 
December 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
December 4, 2025 at 1:13 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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...
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
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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.
"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.
November 29, 2025 at 9:01 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
A woman and a man are sat at reading desks with the woman in the foreground. A book is propped open before her.
November 26, 2025 at 10:58 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
🎉 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
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.
November 25, 2025 at 10:52 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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 man wearing glasses and a black fleece smiling.
November 20, 2025 at 11:00 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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...
A green graphic with a person smiling warmly with headphones and a microphone. A quote reads "All the sources I need are on hand"
November 19, 2025 at 12:16 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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
Graphic with headshots of shortlisted writers for the Writers Award.
November 13, 2025 at 4:48 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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...
A person reaches for an item from a shelf of books.
November 11, 2025 at 12:54 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
We will be observing the national two-minute silence for Armistice Day at 11.00 today, Tuesday 11 November.

#ArmisticeDay
An illustration of poppies on a grassy cliff-edge, with a derelict building in the background.
November 11, 2025 at 10:16 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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...
Manuscript page showing a detailed illumination from Cotton MS Nero DIV
November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
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...
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
britishlibrary.bsky.social
Due to ongoing strike action, all St Pancras Reading Rooms will be closed on Friday 31 October and Saturday 1 November.

Reader Registration will also be closed on 1 November and operating at a reduced level on 31 October. 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
October 30, 2025 at 10:34 AM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
Apologies if you are having any problems accessing the British Library website. There is currently an issue with our hosting provider and we hope to be back online shortly.

You can visit:

Guides: bl.libguides.com/guides
Catalogues: bit.ly/BLOnlineCatalogue
Events: events.bl.uk
Shop: shop.bl.uk
An aerial view of the St Pancras site of the British Library, showing the ship like building and piazza.
October 29, 2025 at 4:51 PM
britishlibrary.bsky.social
Secret Maps opens today! 🤫 🗺️

From medieval manuscripts to Cold War espionage, our new exhibition explores how maps have hidden as much as they revealed for over 600 years.

Book now: bit.ly/BLSecretMaps
October 24, 2025 at 12:26 PM