British Library

12/05/2025

Now open ⚽️

From the gritty charm of football fanzines to the vibrant energy of podcasts, Voice of the Fans invites you to explore over 60 years of fan-made media that has defined the beautiful game.

🎥 Cole Robinson

09/05/2025

After nearly five years under German occupation, Jersey was finally liberated on 9 May 1945.

But what was life really like during those years? From censored headlines to personal diaries, Jersey Library holds powerful stories of how the truth was controlled – and how islanders documented their lives in secret.

What hidden history could your local library reveal?

08/05/2025

As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of , explore the programmes for the legendary National Gallery Concerts, which provided musical uplift to audiences in central London every weekday between October 1939 and April 1946.

The concerts were run by the pianist Dame Myra Hess, who later bequeathed a complete series of annotated programmes together with carefully compiled accounts and indexes of performers and music played.

The images here show handsomely-bound volumes holding the complete programmes, the index of performers, and three annotated programmes dating from late April and early May 1945.

This week also marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of the composer Mátyás Seiber, who featured on the 7 May 1945 programme giving a lecture about Bartók, and for whom the Library holds important manuscript and sound collections.

🎵 Cup.404.c.1.

08/05/2025

We’ll be observing the national two-minute silence at 12.00 today, Thursday 8 May, as part of this week’s commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

07/05/2025

celebrations: all cheers and confetti? Not quite... 📰

We have all seen images of joyful street parties and triumphant newspaper headlines that greeted the end of the war in Europe on 8 May 1945, but how was VE Day covered by the press through the decades?

From the quiet reflection of a nation recovering from loss, to calls for unity and lasting peace, to the nostalgic celebrations of the 50th anniversary in 1995, the media has told the story of VE Day in many different tones.

What do these changing headlines say about how we remember history, and how we shape it?

We have all seen images of the joyful street parties and triumphant newspaper headlines that greeted the end of war in Europe on 8th May 1945. As the UK prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day in 2025, we explore the British Library's newspaper collections to see how...

06/05/2025

As we approach the 80th anniversary of , there’s a unique opportunity to reflect not only on history, but on how it’s seen through the eyes of children.

One remarkable item in our collection is Children in War-time: Stories and Drawings Printed by Boys and Girls (1941), a beautifully crafted collection of vignettes and illustrations that offer a window into the wartime lives of schoolchildren at Hay Currie Emergency School in Poplar – London’s East End.

From the writing and illustration to the printing and bookbinding, every part was created by the children themselves – the result is a deeply moving and beautifully handmade record of wartime, filled with creativity, emotion, and resilience.

04/05/2025

A long time ago in a manuscript far, far away....

Happy – May the Fourth be with you, always.

02/05/2025

Unearthed: The Power of Gardening is now open! 🌻

Step into the wonderful world of gardening: discover botanical treasures, medieval manuscripts, contemporary art and powerful stories from people and communities across the UK who are transforming the world around us.

Open until 10 August. Book now: https://bit.ly/BLUnearthed

28/04/2025

Traditionally marked on 23 April, did you know this year, St George’s Day falls on 28 April?

This image shows one of many historic portrayals of the legendary tale of St George and the Dragon, a story that has captivated Europe for centuries. From medieval manuscripts to Renaissance paintings, George’s heroic struggle has come to symbolise courage, faith, and the triumph of good over evil.

What does this version of the story say to you? 🛡️🐉

28/04/2025

Our Doctoral Open Days are the perfect starting point for PhD students, or anyone considering a postgraduate degree, who wants to find out more about working with our collection during their studies.

Join our May session as we showcase our digital collections. Find out more about digital research, our newspaper archive, digital mapping, the Endangered Archives Programme and Europeana, before the day concludes with a panel of researchers to discuss the use of collections data in academic research.

Book your place:

Our Doctoral Open Days are for any PhD students interested in working with our collection during their studies. Each Open Day showcases a different area of

24/04/2025

Discover the rich stories behind Karanjit Panesar’s exhibition Furnace Fruit, which shares new works inspired by the Library and Leeds Art Gallery collections.

Furnace Fruit takes as its starting point the story of Punjabi immigrants – including members of the artist’s own family – who found themselves working in British steel and automotive foundries in the 1950s and 1960s.

At the centre of the exhibition is a two-channel film work titled Furnace Fruit, installed within an architectural timber structure. A pomegranate fruit, cast in iron melted down from a car exhaust, appears both in the film and in the exhibition space as a tactile object.

Visit Furnace Fruit at Leeds Art Gallery until 15 June 2025.

08/04/2025

Coming soon!

Discover the remarkable stories of the people and plants that shape our gardens in Unearthed: The Power of Gardening this spring 🌱👨‍🌾

03/04/2025

We’re celebrating with Dave, Inclusive Design Ambassador at RNIB. Discover how technology is transforming accessibility for blind and partially sighted people, and why he loves his local library.

Join in RNIB’s celebrations with their Braille and Beyond library tour until August: https://bit.ly/RNIBLibraryTour

Did you know your local library offers books in accessible formats? To find your nearest library, visit https://bit.ly/LibraryOnLocations

[Video description: Dave is sat, wearing a plum coloured jumper and white shirt. Whilst Dave is speaking, a close up of pages of a braille book show, before cutting back to Dave. A close up shot of a child’s finger tracing braille on The Very Hungry Caterpillar, followed by close up shots of pages of old books showing braille. The footage cuts to a stylus and frame on a table. Someone is then shown using a braille tablet. The footage cuts back to Dave talking to the camera. Finally, the exterior of the Hive is shown as a pan shot.]

01/04/2025

Spring is here, and so are the daisies! 🌼

These happy flowers have been around for thousands of years, and symbolise innocence, loyalty, and new beginnings – perfect for April babies and new mums.

Tag a friend who brings as much joy as a field of daisies...

21/03/2025

Enjoy creative, family-led fun at the Library when you drop in to our Family Station 🧩

Pick up a trail to discover the building, take part in sensory play and enjoy a pop-up reading area. Open every day, Friday 4 – Thursday 10 April, 11.00–15.00.

Discover more: https://bit.ly/BL-FamilyStation

20/03/2025

Celebrate a loved one this Mother’s Day by adopting their favourite book 📚

Show your appreciation by choosing from our selection of beloved classics – with options for romantics, adventure lovers and mystery solvers.

Give the gift of stories today: https://bit.ly/BLAdoptABookMothersDay

17/03/2025

Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘️

Today, we celebrate the life of St. Patrick. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped at a young age and spent years enslaved as a shepherd in Ireland. After escaping back to Britain, he returned to Ireland as a missionary, bringing Christianity to the land that once held him captive.

His journey is beautifully captured in his "Confessio," an autobiography that shares his faith, struggles, and spiritual growth. While it doesn’t mention shamrocks or the famous snake banishment, it does reflect on the transformative power of faith and perseverance. St. Patrick’s words remind us of the strength to be found in believing, even in the toughest of times.

Toasting good health and good company – Sláinte!

14/03/2025

Christine de Pizan, a trailblazing author, championed women’s courage, strength, and intellect in her groundbreaking work The City of Ladies, where she defended women by recounting the tales of legendary heroines.

07/03/2025

Daffodils are a sign that spring is here 💐 They symbolise renewal, prosperity or self-love, according to different cultures.

In Greek mythology, Narcissus, a beautiful youth (and the scientific name of the daffodil) fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He, sadly, drowned and daffodils grew in his place.

Which meaning do you believe in?

Rebirth and new beginnings
National pride in Wales
Good fortune and prosperity in China
Joy and mirth in Japan
Hope in France
Love and beauty in Persian culture
Vanity and self-love in Greek mythology

06/03/2025

Happy ! What are you currently reading? 📚

24/02/2025

Carving her place in a male-dominated religious world, Margery Kempe was an extraordinary mystic with unwavering faith 🙏

23/02/2025

After nearly 100 years, original sketches and drafts for one of Sir Edward Elgar’s best-known compositions, the Introduction and Allegro for strings, are reunited with sketchbook no.5 at the British Library through a new acquisition. https://bit.ly/BLElgarSketches

📖 Edward Elgar’s Sketchbook no. 5, Add MS 63157.
📜 Edward Elgar’s sketches and drafts of Introduction and Allegro for strings, MS Mus. 1964.
🎵 Edward Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro for strings, Op.47, performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Adrian Boult, 1961.

19/02/2025

Ever wondered what secrets ancient scribes left behind in their delicate pen strokes? ✍️

Tibetan calligrapher Pema Dorjee Acharya reveals the intricate artistry of the Dunhuang scribes, exploring their deep connection between mind, body, and creativity.

18/02/2025

Discover the story of Empress Matilda, who in a world ruled by men, battled to assert her claim to the English throne in the 12th century.

17/02/2025

Our ★★★★★ exhibition Medieval Women: In Their Own Words must close 2 March.

Make sure to pre-book to guarantee your entry to see 140 stunning items that speak to medieval women's artistry, courage and resourcefulness.

Book now: https://bit.ly/BLMedievalWomen