A red brick brutalist building with tall clock tower against a blue sky.
Our St Pancras opening hours will be affected by planned tube strikes this week.
For a full list of amended hours, visit our website: bl.uk/stories/news
A bright coral red graphic with black and white Yugoslavian stamps accross the bottom. Text in the centre reads Cold War Socialism, Non-Alignment and Anti-Colonialism in the Yugoslav Press, 1961 - 1979. With University of Exeter. Uncover fresh insights into Cold War socialism and anti-colonialism from a Yugoslav perspective, centering on the largely unexamined Joint Translation Service (JTS) bulletins. Deadline Tuesday 5 May.
Applications now open for a fully-funded PhD studentship exploring Yugoslavia’s multifaceted role during the Cold War, co-supervised with @exeter.ac.uk .
This is one of a number of studentships available as part of AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnership scheme.
Find out more: link.bl.uk/q95
Scribles from Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks
Scribles from Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks
Scribles from Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks
Scribles from Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks
Born on this day in 1452, Leonardo da Vinci imagined ideas centuries ahead of their time.
His notebooks reveal a mind constantly observing, questioning and exploring what could be.
Male and female using a computer.
You can now access electronic legal deposit journal issues, journal articles and books catalogued before October 2023 using the PCs in our Reading Rooms.
Find out more about what content is available and how to access it here: link.bl.uk/9kt
Literary text in William Shakespeare’s own handwriting
A powerful plea for compassion, written over 400 years ago.
This manuscript in our collection is believed to contain the only surviving literary text in William Shakespeare’s handwriting. Its message still resonates today.
Discover more here: link.bl.uk/tkr
Image of the British Library Reading Rooms, St Pancras
We have identified an issue that is preventing recently registered or renewed Readers accessing their account to request items.
We are working to resolve this as quickly as possible but recommend waiting until next week to visit Reader Registration. Find out more here: link.bl.uk/abt
A man reclines on a leather office chair with his feet up on a desk. Behind him is a large bookcase, and paper and notes are scattered on the floor
From 1950 to present day, explore contemporary British and Irish collections including literary and creative archives, society and science, oral history, news, moving image, patents and trademarks at our open day on Friday 24 April.
Book your place: link.bl.uk/5nj
Cold War Socialism, Non-Alignment and Anti-Colonialism in the Yugoslav Press, 1961-1979 with @exeter.ac.uk. Applications open soon. link.bl.uk/q95
The Dispersal of Manuscripts from the Cotton Collection with @unibirmingham.bsky.social sky.social. Apply by Sunday 10 May. link.bl.uk/q95
Children's Reading and Cultural Engagement Across Libraries and Community Spaces in Leeds with @glasgow.ac.uk Apply by Friday 24 April. link.bl.uk/q95
Rediscovering a woman collector at the British Library: New Sources and Perspectives on Sarah Sophia Banks with @ucl.ac.uk . Apply by Tuesday 14 April. link.bl.uk/q95
Four PhD studentships are now open for applications. As part of AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnership Scheme, these studentships are co-supervised by Library staff and academics based at UK universities.
Find out more about the projects 😃
Applications close soon for an extraordinary PhD placement opportunity supporting the development and curation of our major exhibition on the Norman Conquest.
Apply by Monday 6 April.
Find out more here: link.bl.uk/dnv
From oral storytelling to illustrated books, fairy tales have been shared and reshaped for generations.
Explore the stories and objects featured in our new Fairy Tales Exhibition link.bl.uk/ngw
Calling all brave heroes, clever creatures and little adventurers: Fairy Tales opens today! Explore a magical world full of your favourite stories 🐉✨
Book now at bl.uk/fairytales
Supported by @waylandgames.bsky.social
Colleagues at the British Library taking part in a Deaf Awareness training session, with participants seated and engaging in learning about British Sign Language (BSL) and inclusive communication.
Learning, listening, and building more inclusive spaces.
Last week, colleagues across the Library took part in Deaf Awareness training led by Asif Iqbal MBE, exploring British Sign Language (BSL), communication tips, and how we can better support Deaf communities.
We’re delighted to welcome @blmedieval.bsky.social to Bluesky 👋
Follow for fascinating insights into medieval manuscripts, music, and history from the British Library’s collections.
Cover of 'social work online' resource, images depict social work settings
For World Social Work Day 2026, social work students can access a wide range of monographs, research articles and social studies in the British Library’s St Pancras Reading Rooms.
Explore the resources available in our latest blog: link.bl.uk/6za
#WSWD2026 #TheBritishLibrary
Support the development of our major exhibition on the Norman Conquest through this extraordinary PhD placement opportunity.
Available to students currently registered at a UK HEI, three full-time, six-month placements. Applications open until Monday 6 April.
Find out more: link.bl.uk/dnv
Black and white photograph of a woman in a dark suit and white blouse, seated, holding an open book on her lap and smiling at the camera.
Writer Storm Jameson's archive reveals fascinating details about the lives and vital role of women workers in munitions factories during World War Two.
Michael St John-McAlister explores some of the newly catalogued material in a blog post here: link.bl.uk/f3a
A long, rectangular wooden box with an open lid on hinges. Inside is a folded world map. The outside of the box reads Betts patent portable globe.
Explore our modern British collections from 1800–1950 including manuscripts, archives, printed collections and maps at our next open day on Friday 27 March. You’ll also get to pick the brains of our expert curators and reference specialists. link.bl.uk/dod
Our St Pancras site will be closed this weekend on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March for essential maintenance work. Find out more and see the latest updates on our website: link.bl.uk/5ym
This International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting stories of women who helped shape movements for rights and equality, from early feminist writings to oral histories of activism.
Read the blog post here: link.bl.uk/15n
#TheBritishLibrary #InternationalWomensDay
Read and rave event at Leeds Library
We're are celebrating the power of storytelling.
To mark the National Year of Reading, the BBC is partnering with the British Library’s Living Knowledge Network to bring their BBC CBeebies Bedtime Story read & rave events to libraries nationwide.
Find out more here: link.bl.uk/8lv
We’re hiring a Social Media Manager at the British Library.
Join our Digital Engagement team and help connect audiences with the stories, collections and ideas of the UK’s national library.
📍 St Pancras
Apply by 15 March 2026
More details here: link.bl.uk/rkj
On Tuesday 3 March, the Piazza and Entrance Hall at our St Pancras site will close from 17.00 for a private event, including the Treasures Gallery, shops and Origin Café. All other public areas and Reading Rooms will remain open. Between 17.00–20.00 please enter and leave via Gate 8 on Midland Road.
An illustration from the page of a book from the 1600s showing two men playing a game of chess. Text reads A game at chess as it hath sundrey times acted at the Globe on Bankside.
Apply by 9 March for @kingsartshums.bsky.social MA in Early Modern English Literature, taught in partnership with us.
Find out more about this rich and unique course where you will learn from our expert curators and examine rare texts in our collections.
Find out more here: link.bl.uk/kpr
Author Phil Harris on his retirement with a view of the Round Reading Room of 1857. Photo: BL Corporate Archive, PH 034/342
We’re delighted to share that A History of the British Museum Library, 1753–1973 by P. R.
Harris is now digitised and freely available to all interested in the history of the Museum and librarianship.
Find out more here: link.bl.uk/vvx
Our St. Pancras site will be closed on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March for essential maintenance work.
We are sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.
There are further details on our website for affected Readers and bookers here link.bl.uk/5ym
Story Explorers is now open at Leeds Central Library 📚
Visit outer space, explore the jungle and dive under the sea to experience the joy of stories through imagination and play in this free family exhibition.
Running until Saturday 30 May. Find out more here: link.bl.uk/gpg