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News

Web maintenance at the British Library

Possible delays to your Reading Room requests

We’re continuing vital work to improve our mechanical book handling system.

Oil painting of an industrial scene with smoke emanating from chimneys

See our new exhibition at Leeds City Museum

Opening today in Leeds, Living with Machines is a free exhibition revisiting the history of the Industrial Revolution…

Magnifying glass on computer

Access more online content

We've just added over 20 million items that can be accessed remotely with your Reader Pass, with thanks to the publishers…

More news

Blogs

Asian and African blog at the British Library, collection item detail

Disfigured Ghosts and Gory Tortures in Phra Malai Manuscripts and Thai Cosmological Parks

Untold Lives blog from the British Library

Soldiers’ gardens in India

Sound and Vision blog from the British Library

Recording of the week: Women’s work on the record

More blogs

Learn

Preview of the Black literature timeline poster, showing text entries by date, portraits and a tablet featuring images of book covers and handwritten manuscripts

Explore the rich history of Black writing and literature in Britain with our new timeline

Collage of photograph of Andrea Levy's parents and one of her manuscripts

‘How come England did not know me?’: Recording Andrea Levy for Authors’ Lives

More Learning resources

Discover

A Description of Three Hundred Animals [page: frontispiece and title page]

Discover 'A Description of Three Hundred Animals', a natural history book for children

The Devonshire Manuscript

Explore this hand-written volume, known as the Devonshire Manuscript

Explore our Highlights

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Get started at the British Library, photo of a Reading Room

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Business support at the British Library

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Students working in the Library

Current vacancies and other opportunities – and how to apply