Explore the British Library - Help

For registered readers only: step-by-step guide to upgrading your reader account

To help you use Explore the British Library, try our:

• General information about Explore the British Library
• Browser and hardware technical compatability
• FAQs
• Help documents, with screen shots: how to login, search, order etc.
• Training videos (to adjust/review the videos use the on-screen controls)
• Text versions of the videos.
• Known issues

Some of the information is intended just for British Library Reader Pass holders (or registered document supply customers).

Comments are welcome and will be used to improve the help supplied.

Help documents

Note these are Adobe PDF files - Accessibility solutions and free Reader software are available from Adobe.

• Navigation
• Login
• Searching - Simple Search
• How do I search for ...?
• Advanced Search
• Finding and accessing articles
• Accessing non-print legal deposit content (registered readers only)
• Results
• Printing, emailing, bookmarking
• Requesting for Registered Readers
• Ordering for document supply customers
• Ordering for guest users
• Request other items: reader requests for items not in Explore the British Library
• My workspace
• Tags
• Notes
• RSS feeds

Training videos/text versions

Please note that as our Catalogue was updated recently we are in the process of updating these videos. The catalogue functionality, however, remains the same.

Video	Information on how to:	Text version of video
Essential functions
Upgrade reader account	Upgrade your reader account to a British Library Online Account. For Reader Pass holders only.	Text version
Merge accounts	Merge your existing British Library Online Account with your reader account. For Reader Pass holders only.	Text version
Log in	Log in to Explore the British Library. For Reader Pass holders only.	Text version
Simple search	Carry out a Simple search.	Text version
Refine	Refine and sort your results by author, material type and so on.	Text version
Requesting options for readers
Request for today	Request items in the collections for today. For Reader Pass holders only.	Text version
Requesting in advance (Basket)	Request collection items in advance of your visit - using the Basket. For Reader Pass holders only.	Text version
Advanced functions
Advanced search	Carry out an Advanced search.	Text version
Managing your results	View item details, save items to a folder, email and print items. Some functions are available to Reader Pass holders (or registered document supply customers) only.	Text version
Research datasets	Search for data created in scientific research.	Text version
My workspace functions
My workspace folders	Create folders for storing, emailing, printing or forwarding catalogue records. Some functions are available to Reader Pass holders (or registered document supply customers) only.	Text version
Save searches	Save searches permanently and set up email alerts. Some functions are available to Reader Pass holders (or registered document supply customers) only.	Text version
Personal settings	Set personal display and email preferences. Some functions are available to Reader Pass holders (or registered document supply customers) only.	Text version

Video controls

Press the F11 key (or click on View>Full Screen) to enable your browser to display the control buttons for these videos. Then use your mouse to pause, rewind and so on.

Pressing F11 again will return your browser to its default settings.

Mac users should press Apple+Shift+F to display videos in full screen mode.