The British Library

Alongside our proposed new home in Leeds and major updates to our Boston Spa campus, we’re moving ahead with ambitious transformation plans for our St Pancras site. Through an innovative partnership with Stanhope plc and Mitsui Fudosan (SMBL Developments Ltd), we're developing the land behind our site to extend our building, enabling us to realise our Knowledge Matters vision with new spaces, programmes and services to inspire thousands more people every year. We’ll be seeking the support of visionary philanthropists and partners to bring this incredible new building to life, enabling us to fit out spaces with state-of-the-art facilities and programmes for culture, learning, research and business support.  For more information about how you can help us transform our buildings and programmes please contact our Development team at supporters@bl.uk  Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eABmKX7r #BritishLibrary #Library #StPancras

Last year our major exhibition Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music traced the places and experiences that birthed a thriving musical culture and history. We are delighted that it has been shortlisted in the Museums + Heritage Advisor 2025 Awards. What an honour to be alongside amazing institutions in the Temporary or Touring Exhibition of the Year category. Congratulations to Curators Dr Aleema Gray and Mykaell Riley, and thank you to all our collaborators on this epic exhibition! See the full shortlist: https://lnkd.in/eufDquBi #BritishLibrary #Library #Exhibition #MAndHAwards #BeyondTheBassline #BlackBritishMusic

Want to grow your business? Look no further... 💼 Are you a UK business turning over more than £100,000 (London) or £80,000 (UK)? It's your last chance to apply for our fully-funded Get Ready for Business Growth programme in collaboration with the Business & IP Centre. From training sessions and one-to-one support to bespoke research to help you transform your business, email your expression of interest today to scaleup@bl.uk. #BritishLibrary #Library #BusinessAndIPCentre #Business #BusinessGrowth #Funding #GR4BG

Happy World Book Day® 2025! This year, our Learning team have enlisted the help of Michael Rosen, and other special guests from the world of books and stories, to celebrate with thousands of children from across the UK. Did you know that reading for pleasure is the biggest indicator of a child’s future success? It's why World Book Day Charity are on a mission to foster a love of reading in children, and remove the barriers to accessing books which are faced by many. This year their campaign, Read Your Way, supports children’s choices to make reading fun for them and highlights the many ways we can enjoy books and stories. We’ve been taking part by visiting classrooms in London and Leeds for lively workshops, livestreaming beloved children’s authors and illustrators into schools nationally, and welcoming families with children under five to creative sessions here at the Library. Read our blog to hear more about what we’ve been up to: bit.ly/BLWorldBookDayBlog More information about World Book Day can be found at worldbookday.com along with free materials and activities. #BritishLibrary #Libraries #WorldBookDay #ReadingForPleasure #ReadYourWay

Booking is now open for the 2025 Discovering Communities, Discovering Collections conference (DCDC2025), taking place from 29 – 31 July 2025 at Durham University and online. Delivered in partnership with the The National Archives, UK, the British Library and Jisc, the annual conference brings together delegates from the gallery, library, archive and museum sectors as well as the academic community, the event will offer a range of in-person and online activities promoting cross-sector collaboration. Early bird ticket prices are available until 19 May. Find out more and book your place. https://lnkd.in/etcKGqfr #BritishLibrary #Library #Museum #Archive #Gallery #Conference

Struggling to make Blake and Wordsworth resonate with your students? Looking for fresh ways to bring Romanticism to life? Join renowned writers and educators – Michael Donkor, Iain Sinclair, Helen Mort & Alexander Fairbairn-Dixon – for an engaging discussion on radicalism, class, nature and climate change in our free online CPD for teachers this 11 March. Expect insights into Blake’s stunning notebook, Romanticism’s ties to the modern world, and creative ways to bring poetry alive in the classroom. Plus, all attendees receive a free digital resource pack full of practical teaching ideas. Sign up now: https://lnkd.in/et67ujMh #BritishLibrary #Library #TeacherTraining #CPD #Teaching

We're marking #InternationalWomensDay with the next Inspiring Entrepreneurs event from Business & IP Centre, taking place at the British Library on 17 March. Join a powerful panel of women change-makers as they share what it really takes to break barriers, build wealth and redefine success on their own terms. What can you expect? 💼 - Real talk on starting and scaling a business 💰 - Wealth-building strategies for uncertain times 💡 - How to navigate life's curveballs – from family to health to big career shifts 🤝 - Meaningful networking with like-minded entrepreneurs Reserve your place: https://bit.ly/BL-BIPC-IWD #BritishLibrary #BIPC #WomenInBusiness #Business #Entrepreneurs

As AI continues to shape our world, its influence on democracy is becoming an increasingly critical conversation. How does this technology affect decision-making, power dynamics, and our democratic values? Join us for the next event in our AI Debates series exploring democracy and AI on 27 March. This free event, chaired by Timandra Harkness, will bring together experts and thought leaders to explore how AI intersects with democracy, governance, and public policy. Book your place: https://lnkd.in/e7ffWc3H #BritishLibrary #AI #Democracy #PublicDebate #Technology #Governance #FutureOfAI  

As part of our ongoing cultural programme and community work in West Yorkshire, we've recently opened a new exhibition as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Fighting to be Heard brings together the worlds of boxing and calligraphy, showcasing rare items from our Arabic and Urdu collections. This free exhibition is now open at Cartwright Hall, Bradford, running until 27 April: https://lnkd.in/e9zP7c4x We’re excited to work alongside incredible partners to champion Bradford’s rich heritage, contributing to the transformative impact of the UK City of Culture initiative in celebrating diversity, creativity, and community. #BritishLibrary #Library #Bradford2025 #CityofCulture #FightingToBeHeard #Partnerships #CulturalHeritage #Exhibition

Meet married couple Su and John 👩❤️👨 We’ve been asking people to tell us about the fascinating ways they use the Library. Su invited John to a British Library Late event on one of their first dates. They spent most of the evening exploring the building, from the foyer to the Treasures Gallery. Su began to realise that this was the beginning of a serious relationship. John says, ‘We had a strong bond from the start.’ A few years later, John proposed, and afterwards, they went to the Library’s Fantasy exhibition together. ‘I was really looking forward to that exhibition,’ explains Su, ‘so to be there, engaged, wearing my new ring, made it very memorable. John saw an edition of The Hobbit on display that he had when he was a kid.’ On their wedding day, John and Su had photographs taken at the Library, along with other places that had been important to their relationship. ‘Being based in London, with access to so many different cultural activities, is still very exciting.’ says John. ‘I’m happy with the life that we have here.’ We’ve shared Su and John’s story of romance at the Library, from that exciting early date to their wedding day. https://lnkd.in/exPfRhvw 📷 Photography by Jessi Zou Film. #BritishLibrary #Libraries