iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 11h

Only one month to go until Green Libraries Week💚 This year we'll be hosting free events and activities for all ages - from creative writing workshops and readings to screenings and historical lectures 21 - 28 October - see you there? Full programme here link.bl.uk/bid #GreenLibrariesWeek

Photograph of the British Library from the outside. Image is taken amongst the greenery in the piazza outside the Library, showing the Anthony Gormley sculptures, the Library's iconic clock tower and entrance.

1265

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Using the Library for your research, but not sure where to start? We've got just the thing Join us for an open day where our expert curatorial, research and reference teams will give you an introduction into areas of the collection and top tips on using our services Find out more link.bl.uk/4fd839

Photograph of indiviuals looking at various objects from the British Library collection laid out on a table in a boardroom.

04616

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

It's European Day of Languages, so here are some of our favourite untranslatable and wonderfully-specific words from across Europe that we wish we had in English ✨

913859

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

A little reminder that our St Pancras site will is closed this weekend for essential maintenance work We apologise for any inconvenience caused and look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 28 September! See the latest updates on our website link.bl.uk/5ym

0224

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The book before the film. Always. We took a look at our first edition of Sense and Sensibility from 1811 ahead of the film hitting UK cinemas today📖 Be honest: are you book or film first?

105314

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Please be aware that our St Pancras site will be closed this weekend from 18.00 on Friday 25 September for essential maintenance work. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 28 September! See the latest updates on our website link.bl.uk/5ym

link.bl.uk

Temporary building closures for essential maintenance

We’ll be carrying out essential maintenance work at our St Pancras site over the coming months.

0115

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Last night we celebrated the launch of Netflix’s East of Eden and we announced something pretty special… We’ve partnered with @netflixuk.bsky.social to bring the books behind your favourite films and series to 100 public libraries across the UK. And there’s more.

Photograph of the cast of East of Eden in front of the King's Library bookcase at the British Library. The cast are from left to right, Christopher Abbott (white man with dark hair and beard, wearing a white vest, brown blazer and black trousers), Florence Pugh (white woman with blonde hair in an up do, wearing a white frilly blouser and black flowy trousers) and Mike Faist (white man, light brown hair, wearing a white tshirt, light blue jacket and dark blue trousers)

Photograph of actress Florence Pugh and showrunner Zoe Kazan being interviewed on teh British Library stage by Jack Edwards. Zoe and Jack are looking at and avidly listening to Florence.

Photograph of actors Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist on stage at the British Library. They are looking at and listening to Florence Pugh whilst she is being interviewed.

1233

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

We’re delighted to announce Dr Paul Bate as the British Library’s new Chief Executive Joining us from the UK Space Agency, Paul brings experience supporting world-class research communities. We look forward to welcoming his expertise at the Library. Read the full announcement here link.bl.uk/fc6

A photograph of Dr Paul Bates stood in a stairwell at the British Library. He is a white man, with dark brown hair and wearing a white shirt and camel coloured chinos.

13813

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.’ Today, we’re bringing out the first edition of Tolkien’s The Hobbit 🐉 It started off with a single sentence and became a well-loved children’s book, complete with illustrations and decorations from the author himself.

15631176

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The Wuthering Heights first published in 1847 isn't quite the version we know today... Our new facsimile reproduces the first edition, before Charlotte Brontë's later revisions. Here's a closer look at the original and the story behind this new publication 👇

16617

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Happy birthday, Agatha Christie 🔎 136 years after her birth, we're still reading her books, watching her plays and debating whodunnit We can't wait to celebrate her from 30 October 2026, when Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery opens - you coming? link.bl.uk/ubb

Black and white photograph of Agatha Christie. She is sat in an armchair in her living room, looking up whilst writing maybe a chapter or some notes on a notepad.

08324

Reposted by British Library

Alice Marples @alicemarples.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

@britishlibrary.bsky.social were grateful to receive a large allocation of studentships as part of the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Award scheme. We have 4 exciting new studentships starting in Oct 2027 - 3 are now open for prospective HEI supervisor proposals! www.bl.uk/services/res...

bl.uk

Collaborative Doctoral Landscape Awards

Fully-funded and jointly supervised studentships across four developing research areas.

22225

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

On International Literacy Day, we're looking back on how tablets were made of wood and wax. This wax tablet is a 2,000-year-old homework book, with a Greek maxim copied out by a student. How do you 'clear the screen' on a wax tablet? Find out in our blog: link.bl.uk/blw

A 2,000-year-old wax tablet with a Greek maxim copied out over several lines.

47622

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Please note that the Treasures Gallery is closed today while maintenance work takes place. The Treasures Gallery will also close at 5pm on Wednesday 9 September for a private event.

A view of display cases in the Treasures Gallery from low, red seats.

090

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

It's National Read a Book Day 📚 So for one day only 'you have enough books' is not a valid argument (especially if they're library books) Happy reading

19424

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Happy World Beard Day 🧔 We couldn’t let the day pass without celebrating one of the Library’s finest beards - accompanied, naturally, by four larks, a wren, two owls and a hen. A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear. Shelfmark: 12332.dd.1

An illustration of a man in a waistcoat with a large bushy beard, where four larks, a wren, two owls and a hen nest. The caption in this page from Edward Lear's A Book of Nonsense reads: 'There was an old man with a beard, who said, "It is just as I feared! - Two owls and a hen, four larks and a wren, have all built their nests in my beard!"'

07717

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Please note that the Treasures Gallery will be closed on Monday 7 September while maintenance work takes place. The Treasures Gallery will also close at 5pm on Wednesday 9 September for a private event.

Open books lay behind glass cases in the British Library's Treasures Gallery. One case is labelled 'Art of the Book'.

090

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

What does astrology and the act of pondering have in common? Here are some of our favourite astrological etymologies 💫

3247

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

What can you find inside John Berger’s archive? In this short video, writer Tom Overton and curator Helen Melody explore the archive, from manuscripts and correspondence to some unexpected treasures See the display in our Entrance Hall and discover more in our blog www.bl.uk/stories/blog...

1192

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Happy birthday to Mary Shelley, born on this day in 1797 📕 At 18, she began writing Frankenstein, helping to invent a whole genre and giving us one of literature’s most iconic monsters. Not a bad legacy.

Black and white etching portrait of Mary Shelley. Her portrait is set in an oval, she is wearing a black off the shoulder gown. Her hair appears to be a dark brown and falls around her jawbone.

2426156

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Fun library fact: our Piazza isn’t just a great spot to read in the sun, it’s also pretty good for fossil hunting While books live inside our London building, the stonework outside contains fossils of oysters, plants and snails - all millions of years old A perfect Friday afternoon if you ask us

0524

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Writing a book about the Americas?📚 You've got two weeks to apply for the Eccles Institute & @hayfestival.bsky.social Global Writer’s Award UK & Latin American writers can win £20k, a British Library residency & special access to our collections Apply by 14 September www.bl.uk/about/projec...

Text on a plain dark blue background. Text reads: "The Writer's Award was one of the best things that ever happened to me. The special connection to the British Library's unique and unparalleled collection and the expertise of its librarians was invaluable." Erica Wagner, 2014 Writer's Award Winner.

0167

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A sad time for music and book lovers alike. Dolly Parton was not only an extraordinary songwriter and performer, but a passionate champion of reading, putting books into the hands of millions of children through her Imagination Library.

110717

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

It’s World Dog Day, so here are a few of our favourite certified good bois from the collection 🐶 From the 1300s to the 1800s, every good dog deserved a portrait. We’re inclined to agree.

36118

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Summer holiday, 1813 edition 🌊 That summer, artist William Daniell set off from Land’s End to travel the coast of Great Britain, sketching the landscapes along the way. The result? Voyage Round Great Britain, an eight-volume record of 308 beautifully detailed acquatints of Britain’s coastline

An engraved drawing from inside a cave looking out to sea. The cave is full of cylindrical rock formations (that almost look like tree trunks or logs) and waves are crashing against them. In the background you can see ships out at sea in the distance, with birds flying in the sky.

Engraving of a scenic view of a rugged coastline. Waves are crashing up against the side of the rocks and in the distance you can see land further out at sea. The coast is covered in puffins, both sat on the clifftops and flying.

Engraving illustration of a ruined castle, all that remains is a turret, precariously positioned on the edge of a cliff. Surrounding it is lots of greenery, a beach and the sea. It looks like a lovely summer evening and there are people down at the beach and a couple sat by the ruins with their dog admiring the view.

An engraving illustration of the a view out to the sea. In the foreground, you can see lots of greenery, grass where deer are grazing and large Monterey Cypress trees are growing leading down from the clifftop to the sea. In the background is the sea, you can see for miles and there are lots of little sailing boats in the water.

17921

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Not all fairy tale heroines need rescuing ✨ From Madame d’Aulnoy, to the women whose stories shaped the Brothers Grimm’s collections, women writers and storytellers have had a huge influence on the genre Read all about the incredible women behind your favourites www.bl.uk/stories/blog...

bl.uk

Not just damsels in distress: women writers and fairy tales

We celebrate five female writers who have had a lasting impact on the fairy tale genre.

05716

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Anyone want to look at some cool illustrations? These are by illustrator and author, Aubrey Beardsley, born #OnThisDay in 1872 A leading figure in the aesthetic movement and his black ink drawings of the grotesque, the decadent and the erotic encapsulated the spirit of the fin de siècle

Black and white drawing of a woman sat in a forest, surrounded by trees and flowers. She is wearing a crown on her head and has a young child sat in her lap. The majority of the drawing is black, however the child is entirely dressed in white.

Black and white ink drawing of a woman with horns surrounded by two jester-like figures.

A black and white ink drawing of a woman standing wearing an elaborately decorated cloak. She is walking away, but has her head turned to face us.

Black and white ink illustration of a female-like figure floating, they have long dark hair, some of which has been fashioned to resemble horns. They are floating above what looks like a lily pond. The floating figure is holding up a medusa-like head, lifted to it's face and looking into it's eyes.

38122

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

It was short but oh so sweet Rain - we missed you 💙

An illustration of two women strolling in a park getting caught in summer rain. They are dressed in 1910s fashion, wearing matching skirts and jackets in contrasting colours, one in orange the other in blue. They are both attempting to shelter under one small umbrella.

29922

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

English artist and illustrator Walter Crane was born #OnThisDay in 1845 Best known for his children’s book illustrations, Crane was inspired by a wide range of artistic styles, from Japanese colour prints to the work of William Morris and John Ruskin. Which influences can you spot in these works?

illustration by Walter Crane. Illustrations of scenes from a farm, including a large rooster at the centre, a farmer sowing seeds at the top left, a woman sitting in a chair yawning after a hard days work top left. Several words repeat: Corn, morn, shorn, forlorn, horn, thorn, torn

Illustration by Walter Crane featuring fairies. They are all stood in an elaborately decorated bedchamber and fawning over a baby. A few fairies to the side are observing an evil looking crab, peeking out from behind the bed.

Illustration of a jester wearing a blue and yellow unitard with black shoes, a black belt and a black mask. Around his head, wrists and ankles are flowers. He is dancing holding a large scythe and a sand timer. Behind him appears to be a statue of a woman with a large cloth over her head and body, holding berries. Text reads: The wild thyme they had, and the fuss kept the guests in a touth thro the that was made deadly night shade.

Illustration of a knight in shining silver armor. He looks to be stood in an orchard, surrounded by apple trees, however on the ground are lots of skulls. He is holding his shield up as a mirror to a large two headed dragon.

28223

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

As we all look up at today's solar eclipse, here's how they were doing it nearly 86 years ago* These photographs, supposedly from 1 October 1940, show people observing an eclipse using a small retractor on a tall tripod to project an image of the sun. Anyway, we're off to grab our colanders...

A black and white film negative showing a total eclipse of the sun. The surround is black and in the middle you can see the distinct circular outline of the moon, with large sunrays all around it.

$A black and white film negative showing a photograph of individuals watching a solar eclipse. In the foreground, a small refractor on a tall tripod is used to project an image of the Sun. Behind this apparatus is a fork mount and stand.$

13814

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Glimpse into the world of Homer's Odyssey, from Enlightenment poet Alexander Pope's hand. He translated the epic into English in 1725-26. While it wasn't all his work, the rhyming couplets are a thing to behold... 📜 Alexander Pope's Odyssey (1726), Add MS 4809.

16917

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

It's National Book Lovers Day 📚 What's the one book you've recommended more than any other? Ours? The team's been sharing their favourite summer reads over on the British Library Shop blog shop.bl.uk/blogs/blog-p...

8513

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Happy World Cat Day 🐈 Cats have been making appearances in books, manuscripts and illustrations for centuries. Here are some of our favourites from the collection... and some of our favourite attempts at cats... Which one's your favourite?

an abstract illustration of a black cat sat on a windy branch of a tree. The cat has bright orange eyes and looks moody.

Section of a page from a medieval manuscript. The drawing shows a dishevelled looking cat-like figure stood up on its hind legs playing the fiddle

a black and white illustration of a young girl and a cat in a field. The young girl is stood on the right, she has messy dark curly hair and is wearing a white nightie and holding a doll behind her back with one hand. With her other hand she is wagging her finger like she is telling the cat off. The cat is to the left of the image and looking up attentively at the young girl. The cat is black and white.

Section from a page of a medieval manuscript. The pages are yellowing slightly. There is text written in Medieval English and an elaborate blue, orange and grey drawing of a cats head poking out of a shell.

315358

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Today's excuse to read a little poetry: it's Lord Alfred Tennyson's birthday 🎈 We're celebrating with an extract of The Palace of Art - which of his poems is your favourite?

A photograph of Lord Alfred Tennyson. He is a white man, with a long beard that appears to be graying at the end. He is wearing a suit and is sat in a chair reading a book.

A page from a book fo poems by Lord Alfred Tennyson. This shows a black and sepia toned illustration of inside a castle or fortress, focusing particularly on a woman playing an organ on a wooden bridge. She is leaning back and being kissed on the forehead by a man in a large cloak. In the foreground, you can see an armed soldier with a helmet and spear eating an apple, and to his right is a seagull. In the background, you can see soldiers defending the castle from the turets, loading canons, and lots of ships out at sea. Text below the illustration reads: The Palace of Art (which is the title of the poem), and the first stanza: 'I built my soul a lordly pleasure-house, Wherein at ease for aye to dwell. I said, "O Soul, make merry and carouse, Dear soul, for all is well."

4223

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

What’s one of the oldest objects you’ve seen that genuinely made you stop and stare? We’ll go first: a copy of Homer’s Odyssey in Ancient Greek, printed in Venice in 1488 that we got to take a look at today 📚

Photograph of a large old book. The book is bound in bright red leather cover which has gold engravings around the edge. In the middle there is also a gold crest, signifying the book is from King George IIIs library.

Photograph of inside the book from the previous image. Page shows the first page of Homer’s Odyssey written in Ancient Greek. The pages are visibly old, and are a darker beige with darkened edges.

8867

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Library and archive professionals – don't miss the EPICo Conference 2026 hosted here at the Library this autumn We’ll be exploring collaborative approaches to the management and preservation of physical library collections From 30 Sept – 2 Oct Find out more and book your place link.bl.uk/epico

Photograph of dozens of old books from the Library's Collection. They mostly have deep red covers, with gold accents and dark brown pages. They are all on shelves, awaiting to be placed on a conveyor belt the Library uses to send items around the Library.

1349

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Friday afternoons look rather lovely from here ☀️ However you're spending the weekend, we hope you find time for something that sparks your curiosity

0583

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Born on this day in 1818, Emily Brontë gave us some of literature's most unforgettable lines 💜 Here are five of our favourites from Wuthering Heights...

1365

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Exciting news - the British Newspaper Archive's new platform is here Explore millions of digitised pages of newspapers and other publications from our British and Irish collections, dating as far back as the 1700s We can't wait to get exploring 🗞 link.bl.uk/7ci

Graphic image featuring four front pages of old British newspapers. Text reads: Welcome to the new. The British Newspaper Archive.

910842

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Happy #NationalDogPhotographyDay to every four-legged friend patiently waiting while someone says, "Just one more chapter" 💗

Sepia-toned photograph from 1886 showing an excited dog waiting at the edge of a lake. The dog's tail is wagging so fast it's blurry. Behind the lake are mountains. The photograph has a border and at the bottom someone has written: The Shandour Lake.

2618

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Some weekends are made for getting lost in a good book. What's everyone reading this weekend? We need some recs 🖌A Child’s Garden of Verses by Jessie Willcox Smith, 1905 Source: 11650.h.36 frontispiece

Painting of a young girl. She has short tousled brown hair and is wearing a white dress, white tights and black mary jane shoes. She is sat in a window seat, avidly enjoying a book. Around her are more books, ready to be devoured next. Outside the sun shines and is coming in through the window.

9829

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

This July marks 110 years since the Battle of the Somme Often remembered through military history, these newspapers reveal the human stories behind one of the deadliest battles of the First World War

2308

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Couldn’t help but notice a few words sticking out to us in our manuscript collection, think it might be a sign... #itscominghome

0375

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

"St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain. St. Swithin's day if thou be fair, For forty days 'twill rain nae mair." Looks like this heatwave is sticking around a little longer - 40 days of sun here we come ☀️ 🎨Splendor Solis, 1582. Harley 3469, f.33v.

A beautiful painting of a huge bring orange sun looming over a medieval city. In the foreground is a woodland, and surrounding the image is a bright gold border with various birds and frogs, as well as lots of colourful flowers and strawberries. The painting is situated within a book from the 1500s.

49228

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Currently wishing we were here with a good book 🥵 (ps we have aircon if anyone needs to cool off) 🎨 Kriegs Flugblätter des Simplicissimus by Carl Lendecke & Friedrich Otto, 1914; F60136-34

Painting of two individuals on a beach. They are both sat in deck chairs, the man is lying back on the left smoking a cigarette, whilst the woman is fiddling with a parasol trying to set it up.

0558

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Exciting news - our online platform of over 650,000 metadata records of UK doctoral theses (EThOS) is now available again  Find out more about EThOS and how to use it on our website link.bl.uk/kxk

Photograph taken from above showing a man working at his laptop at the British Library.

08551

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

As the USA turn 250 today, we spoke to Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and Ade Solanke about the American Declaration of Independence and its significance for the USA and wider world Watch the video below and check out our free temporary display in the Treasures Gallery link.bl.uk/fsk

link.bl.uk

The Declaration of Independence | British Library | Bloomberg Connects

The arts and culture app.

12912

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Have you ever wondered what secrets lie in your favourite poet’s notebook? In her latest blog, manuscripts cataloguer, Lara Mayr, discusses the importance of notebooks held in the archive of poet & translator Michael Hamburger & the invaluable insight they offer Read all about it📚 link.bl.uk/blmh

An open notebook showing a handwritten inscription and date on the left-hand side and handwritten poem translation draft on the right, both written in blue ink.

An open lined notebook showing a handwritten list of trees, written in black and blue ink, held open by a snake weight.

An open notebook showing handwritten dated diary entries written in blue ink, held open by snake weight in bottom left corner.

A torn open notebook with damaged edges showing handwritten lists of poems and payments in red, blue and red ink.

1285

British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Come and spend the next academic year embedded in our curatorial teams Two exciting fellowships are open to postdoctoral, early-career researchers which can be undertaken over 12-months full-time or part-time equivalent, as part of the Joanna and Graham Barker Fellowship Scheme Find out more👇

13245