We’ve made improvements to our Reader Registration system so we can now issue photographic passes again. Anyone with a photographic pass will be able to order collection items in our Reading Rooms.

If you’ve been issued a white temporary paper pass recently and need to access…

“Being at the helm of the British Library has been – and continues to be – the greatest privilege of my life.”
After 12 years as Chief Executive, Sir Roly Keating has announced that he will step down from the role in April next year: bit.ly/BL-CEO-Update

Do you believe in unicorns? 🦄

The legendary animal’s single horn was thought to have great healing powers, with Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and James I all invested in its medicinal properties.

See more of Henry's unicorn recipes: bit.ly/BLBlogUnicorns

#NationalUnicornDay

On Monday 8 April our St Pancras site will open 10.00 – 20.00. These are slightly amended opening hours due to planned transport strikes.

Were you a fan of nonsenses (or limericks as they're more commonly known!) when you were growing up?

We challenge you to write your own 'nonsense' in the style of Edward Lear!

Explore the Library through play this Easter holiday! Experiment with art, follow a trail around the Library or pop into our reading corner with tactile and braille editions of children’s books.

Drop-in to our Family Station for free this week: bit.ly/BLFamilyStation

Happy #InternationalChildrensBookDay ! 📚

What was your favourite book growing up?

Happy 10th birthday to our Crime Classics book series! 🕵️

From timeless whodunits to thrilling capers, British Library Publishing's series has kept readers on the edge of their seats for years.

🔎 Uncover tales from the Golden Age of crime, published every month: bit.ly/3qGqHjy

Happy #WorldTheatreDay ! 🎭

If you could watch any play on stage right now, what would it be and which theatre would it be performed in?

While we work to get our services fully back online, we’ve published some resources that may help you find what you’re looking for.

Visit our Americas and Oceania blog to find alternative ways of working with our Americas and Oceania Collections: bit.ly/BLResourceAmer…

The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief...
— The Trees by Philip Larkin

Combining two of our favourite things, poetry and trees, for #WorldPoetryDay and #InternationalDayOfForests 🌳

While we work to get our services fully back online, we’ve published some resources that may help you find what you’re looking for.

Visit our Web Archive blog to find alternative internet archive resources while ours is temporarily offline: bit.ly/BLResourceUKWA

Happy #SpringEquinox !

It’s officially the first day of spring – here’s to warmer, brighter days ☀️

What are you most looking forward to this spring?

As Spring draws near, we're looking forward to seeing butterflies fluttering, the morning birdsong, and squirrels running along treetops. What does your garden look like today?