British Library events and exhibitions July - September 2009
29 June 2009
Discover the World's Knowledge
For further information visit www.bl.uk/whatson or call +44 (0)1937 546 546.
BRITISH LIBRARY EVENTS
BOOKS / TALKS
The Royal Commentaries of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega: The Dawn of Latin America's Cultural Identity
Tuesday 7 July 18.30 - 20.00
400 years ago, Garcilaso de la Vega (1539 - 1616) published his remarkable study of Inca life, Comentarios Reales de los Incas. The man, his identity, his work and legacy are explored by one of the greatest contemporary writers, Peruvian Mario Vargas Llosa, together with world expert on the history of Peru and Brazil, John Hemming, and renowned psychoanalyst Max Hernandez.
Free / Conference Centre
Poetry Review's Cosmopolis
Monday 13 July 19.00 - 20.15
Poetry Review is 100 hundred years old this summer, and celebrates with Cosmopolis, an issue bringing together the best of British and world poetry. At this event, we mark its publication with an extraordinary performance by Patrick Dubost - writer, musician, mathematician, philosopher and sound poet, at what promises to be an unforgettable evening for anyone interested in poetry and cultural debate. Chaired by Poetry Review editor Fiona Sampson.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
T S Eliot and the House of Faber
Monday 21 September 18.30 - 20.00
Not only was T S Eliot one of the major poets of the 20th century. He played a significant role in the development of other writers during his time as a publisher with Faber and Faber; nurturing James Joyce, W H Auden and Ted Hughes. His search for poetic genius and mission to share it with the world are discussed by former managing director and chairman of Faber and Faber Matthew Evans, current Faber Poetry editor Paul Keegan, award winning poet and editor Don Paterson and Ronald Schuchard, Professor of English, Emory University. Presented in association with Faber and Faber, celebrating 80 years of publishing.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
A Celebration of Samuel Johnson
Monday 28 September 18.30 - 20.30
'Samuel Johnson, a man whose talents, acquirements, and virtues, were so extraordinary, that the more his character is considered, the more he will be regarded by the present age, and by posterity, with admiration and reverence' - James Bowell. Broadcaster, writer and former president of the Johnson Society, Libby Purves, chairs an evening devoted to the great man of letters. With contributions by Beryl Bainbridge, Richard Ingrams, Johnson's latest biographer David Nokes and A N Wilson.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
William Golding: The Man Who Wrote Lord of the Flies
Tuesday 29 September 18.30 - 20.00
Although he was widely read and acclaimed in his lifetime, the brilliance and importance of Nobel laureate William Golding is set to receive fresh attention as a result of John Carey's long awaited new biography. The author of Lord of the Flies, The Spire and Rites of Passage is discussed by John Carey with BBC presenter and journalist Mark Lawson.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: T S Eliot - Four Quartets
Wednesday 30 September 18.30 - 20.00
A chance to hear Eliot's long poem read aloud. Composed between 1935 and 1942, and sometimes considered the greatest English poem of the last century, Four Quartets forms a beautiful and musical meditation on time, landscape and the human condition. Accompanies the British Library exhibition In a Bloomsbury Square : T S Eliot the Publisher.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
Beowulf
COMING SOON: Sunday 25 - Wednesday 28 October
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BUSINESS / TECHNOLOGY
Surviving and thriving: controlling costs to boost your business
Tuesday 14 July 18.15 - 21.00
You have set up a great business. You have the passion to succeed. Now you face an economic recession. So how do small businesses survive? This evening is dedicated to downturn-defying techniques such as: managing your cash-flow; budgeting; obtaining trade credit; cost-cutting; and working with your suppliers. Hear from entrepreneurs who know what it takes to defy the downturn plus other business experts for a recession-busting evening that you cannot afford to miss.
£10 / £7.50 concessions / Conference Centre
The Social Media Exchange: Web 2.0 for Entrepreneurs with Web 2.0 Experts Sound delivery
Monday 28 September 9.00 - 17.00
Whether you're developing a social network, looking to market your business online, or just want to find out about the opportunities this space could bring, join us for the Social Media Exchange. Learn new skills, debate the future of technology, and make essential contacts at a mix of master classes, surgeries and talks.
Conference Centre / For ticket prices and booking information visit www.bl.uk/bipc
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CITY GEMS
The Story of London: Street Piano at the British Library
Open until Saturday 11 July
This summer, Sing London is installing decorated Street Pianos in London's streets, squares and courtyards. Marked 'Play Me, I'm Yours' the pianos are there for all to play, sing around and enjoy. Come have a play on the British Library's piano during Library opening hours or join a Round the Piano event with Jonny Berliner on Tuesday 30 June at 13.00 and 14.00. Details of other Round the Piano events can be found online at www.bl.uk/whatson.
Open House at the British Library
Sunday 20 September 11.00 - 16.00
As the largest public building constructed in the UK in the 20th century the British Library is delighted to take part in Open House. All public areas of the Library will be open including the exhibition galleries. In addition, the Asia and African Studies Reading Room will be open all day for visitors to drop in. A talk about Asian and African collections will take place at 11.30 and 14.00. Tickets available from the Information Desk 20 minutes before the start of each talk. Spaces limited.
Free / Information Desk
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CODEX SINAITICUS (events relating to the Codex Sinaiticus exhibition)
Codex Sinaiticus: Text - Bible - Book
Monday 6 July 9.30 - 20.30 Tuesday 7 July 9.30 - 16.00
The Codex Sinaiticus conference will bring together experts from a variety of backgrounds to further a comprehensive inter-disciplinary understanding of the text, history, and material quality of Codex Sinaiticus, the 4th century Greek Bible. The conference will celebrate the completion of the new digital edition of the manuscript on the Codex Sinaiticus website (http://www.codexsinaiticus.org/en), which will virtually re-unite Codex Sinaiticus, now held in four locations; at the British Library, Leipzig University Library, St Catherine's Monastery in Sinai and the National Library of Russia in St Petersburg.
£75 / £40 concessions / Conference Centre
For further information about the conference and to book, please contact Codex Sinaiticus - conference@bl.uk
Codex Sinaiticus: The World's Oldest Bible?
Monday 27 July 18.30 - 20.00
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the most important books in the world and the oldest substantial text to survive Antiquity. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript includes the earliest complete copy of the New Testament. At this event, the huge significance of the manuscript is explained by David Parker, Professor of Theology at Birmingham University, and the Codex Sinaiticus Project is introduced by Scot McKendrick, Head of Western Manuscripts at the British Library. With a discussion chaired by presenter Roger Bolton, host of Radio 4's Sunday and Feedback.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
Materials of the Codex Sinaiticus: How was the Oldest Surviving Bible Made?
Wednesday 5 August 14.00 - 17.00
To accompany the Codex Sinaiticus exhibition, members of the British Library Conservation team who worked on this magnificent manuscript will conduct a session introducing you to the physical make-up of the Codex Sinaiticus. Join them as they present information about how the parchment pages were produced from animal skins, how they were prepared for writing and how they were sewn and bound into a book. Please note that we are not able to give valuations or provide secure storage for items while you visit other parts of the Library.
Free / Centre for Conservation (Advance booking essential - maximum 22 places)
Codex Sinaiticus: Sisters of Sinai - How Two Lady Adventurers Found the Hidden Gospels
Wednesday 5 August 18.30 - 20.00
An extraordinary tale of 19th century adventure and struggle against the odds. In 1892, two Ayrshire ladies, rich and eccentric, journeyed deep into the Sinai desert to make a priceless find, and went on to reinvent themselves in middle-age, as world-class scholars of Syriac and Arabic manuscripts. Janet Soskice, University of Cambridge, author of BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week Sisters of Sinai, leads a remarkable exploration of their story.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
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CONSERVATION CLINICS
Conservation Mounting and Framing
Wednesday 29 July 14.00 - 16.30
This seminar offers basic knowledge and simple guidelines for conservation mounting and framing of prints, drawings and watercolours. Participants will have the opportunity to learn principles of conservation mounting and framing which will help when selecting mounts and frames that will protect as well as enhance the picture. There will be the chance to learn about different types of framing materials and practise a simple mounting technique. Please note that we are not able to give valuations or provide secure storage for items while you visit other parts of the Library.
Free / Centre for Conservation
Advance booking essential (maximum 18 places)
Caring for your Family Archive
Sunday 20 September 11.00 - 16.00
Do you have documents, sound recordings, photographs and other memorabilia relating to your current or previous homes stuffed away in a cupboard somewhere? To celebrate Open House at the British Library we invite you to visit our team of conservators and learn about how best to care for these objects and to protect your own family archive for future generations. Presented in association with Open House. Please note that we are not able to give valuations or provide secure storage for items while you visit other parts of the Library.
Free / Centre for Conservation (Advance booking essential)
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FAMILY EVENTS
Henry VIII Man and Monarch: The Somers Town Jesters Project
Friday 3 July 13.00 - 13.30
Some say that Somers Town, the area adjoining the British Library, was land once granted to Henry VIII's favoured jester and court confidant Will Somers. In his honour, a group of Year 10 students from South Camden Community School in Somers Town are learning the skills, history and physical comedy techniques of Tudor jesters. Come and enjoy this unique performance as they present the results!
Free / Piazza
Exploring Architecture
Every Tuesday to Thursday in August 10.30 - 12.00 and 14.30 - 16.00
Explore architecture at the British Library through drawing, making, mapping and poetry. Each week will focus on a different theme and workshops will feature a range of creative activities including working with architects, exploring our map collection, discovering secret locations in the building and creating a poem city! Suitable for families with children aged 7-12 years.
Free / Information Desk
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FILM
Henry VIII Man and Monarch: The Private Life of Henry VIII
Monday 13 July 18.30 - 20.15
An all time classic movie that was the first major British hit in the USA. The Private Life of Henry VIII (dir Alexander Korda, 1933) is a brilliantly performed, beautifully designed and endlessly entertaining romp through the marriages of the monarch. Charles Laughton won the 1933 Academy Award as Best Actor for his arrogant yet vulnerable portrayal of Henry, performing alongside Merle Oberon and Laughton's real-life wife Elsa Lanchester.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
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HENRY VIII (events relating to the Henry VIII: Man and Monarch exhibition)
Henry VIII Man and Monarch: 'I'm David the Second, I am, I am' - Henry VIII and his Psalter
Monday 20 July 18.30 - 20.00
Prepared for him in 1540 by the French émigré artist and scribe Jean Mallard, Henry VIII's Psalter is one of the most beautiful of his surviving books. This illustrated talk by James Carley, Professor of English, York University Toronto, examines how the medieval cycle of Psalter illuminations was adapted to reflect the King's personal view of his role as ruler and chief priest and show, quite literally, Henry as a reincarnated David. Henry's own annotations within the Psalter, made on three separate occasions, also give extraordinarily revealing insights into the mind of the ageing King.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
Henry VIII Man and Monarch: The Lady in the Tower - The Fall of Anne Boleyn with Alison Weir
Tuesday 28 July 18.30 - 20.00
Alison Weir is one of Britain 's best-loved and most read historians: her many works include The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Henry VIII: King and Court and Mary, Queen of Scots. Her forthcoming book is a detailed account of the dramatic and controversial imprisonment and execution of Anne Boleyn. With a question and answer session chaired by historian Tracy Borman, author of King's Mistress, Queen's Servant: The Life of Henrietta Howard.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
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POLITICS / POLICIES
Benjamin Franklin House Annual Symposium: Botanical Passions - Benjamin Franklin, Kew Gardens, and the Millennium Seed Bank
Wednesday 9 September 18.30 - 20.00
One of Benjamin Franklin's close friends was Joseph Banks, under whose early leadership Kew's Botanic Garden achieved international importance. This year Kew is celebrating its 250th Anniversary. Paul Smith, Director of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank will show what has become of the mutual and transatlantic botanical passion shared by Franklin and Banks. A reception will be held after this event. Presented by the Benjamin Franklin House and the Eccles Centre for American Studies, the British Library.
£8 / £5 concessions / Conference Centre (to book, call +44 (0)20 7839 2006 or email info@BenjaminFranklinHouse.org)
Myths and Realities 1: Migration and Integration
Tuesday 15 September 18.00 - 20.30
This is the first of a series of events focusing on contemporary social questions.
Meet social scientists and explore the issues behind the headlines on migration and integration. Speakers will include researchers and policy makers - make the most of the opportunity to put them on the spot. A reception will be held after this event. This event is sponsored by the Academy of Social Sciences , the British Library and the Economic and Social Research Council.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
Fulbright 60th Anniversary Lecture: Winston Churchill, Anglo-America and the Special Relationship Revisited
Tuesday 22 September 18.30 - 20.00
Winston Churchill's legacy continues to influence transatlantic history in many ways, not least in his addition of ringing and memorable phrases to the political lexicon. In this final event of the Fulbright 60th Anniversary year, leading historian Professor Sir David Cannadine looks again at the 'special relationship' that Churchill first named over 60 years ago. A reception will be held after this event. Presented by the US - UK Fulbright Commission and the Eccles Centre for American Studies, the British Library.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
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SPORT
Henry VIII Man and Monarch: Tudor Falconry and Hawking - Talks from the Mews
Tuesday 21 July 12.00, 14.00 and 16.00
Learn about the original 'Sport of Kings' and the favourite pastime of King Henry VIII. Meet period falconers and their noble hawks, discover the skills and techniques required to train hunting birds, examine the curious equipment designed to keep them and hear all about the life and duties of a court falconer. Find out how falconry has shaped English language, how hawking nearly changed the course of British history and why falconry is still practised today.
Free / Piazza
Henry VIII Man and Monarch: Sport in the Age of Henry VIII - Falconry and Hunting
Tuesday 21 July 18.30 - 20.30
Henry VIII was a great sports enthusiast and a highly accomplished athlete. The first of two fascinating events explores the world of hunting and hawking, both considered of great moral value among Tudor nobility. With Emma Griffin, Lecturer in British History at The University of East Anglia and author of England's Revelry: A History of Popular Sports and Pastimes, and Blood Sport: Hunting in Britain Since 1066 and the birds and experts of Raphael Falconry.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
Henry VIII Man and Monarch: Sport in the Age of Henry VIII - Jousting and Real Tennis
Tuesday 4 August 18.30 - 20.30
The second of two evenings giving an intriguing insight into the sporting passions of the King. Hear Henry's remarkable role in the long history of Real Tennis, brought to life by top amateur player Roman Krznaric, author of The First Beautiful Game: Stories of Obsession in Real Tennis (2006). Learn about the colourful past and dramatic reality of jousting from Tobias Capwell, Curator of Arms and Armour at the Wallace Collection and a regular jouster himself. Chaired by Will Buckley, Senior Sports writer, The Observer.
£6 / £4 concessions / Conference Centre
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THEATRE
A Night with the Impresarios
Monday 14 September 18.30 - 20.30
Producers may be the most powerful people in theatre, but they hardly ever appear on stage. The latest Theatre Archive Project event presents an evening of interviews with actors, directors, and with producers themselves, offering a rare insight into the people who have made British Theatre happen over the past 50 years. A reception will be held after this event. To find out more about Theatre Archive Projects visit www.bl.uk/theatrearchive.
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BRITISH LIBRARY SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS
Henry VIII: Man and Monarch
Open until 6 September 2009
Sponsored by PACCAR Inc
In celebration of the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne, the historian and broadcaster Dr David Starkey guest-curates this major exhibition, providing new insights into one of this country's most memorable monarchs, who still casts a spell over the public imagination. Highlights of the exhibition include Henry's personal Prayer Book, containing his handwritten notes, his marriage contract with Katherine of Aragon, a list of people executed in his reign, including wives, favourites and ministers, and a love letter to Anne Boleyn, concealed in the Vatican for almost five centuries. The letter is exhibited here for the first time and sheds light on Henry's infamous infatuation. www.bl.uk/henry Media Partner: The Times.
£9 / £7 concessions / £5 concessions / Under 18s free / PACCAR Gallery
From Parchment to Pixel: The Virtual Reunification of Codex Sinaiticus
COMING SOON: 6 July - 7 September 2009
Codex Sinaiticus is arguably one of the world's most important manuscripts. The 4th century text, which collectively presents both the Greek Old Testament and the New Testament, is held in four locations around the world. This exhibition celebrates the virtual reunification of Codex Sinaiticus by presenting the newly reunified Codex in a striking and interactive environment. Through the display of collection items, media-rich interactive representations and other relevant artefacts and events, such as blown up details of Codex Sinaiticus pages and digital reconstructions of textual development, the visitor will leave the exhibition with a lasting impression and understanding of the Codex and the reunification project.
Free / Folio Society Gallery
Points of View: Capturing the 19th Century in Photographs
COMING SOON: 30 October 2009 - 7 March 2010
Points of View brings together, for the first time, a magnificent selection of photographs from the British Library's unique collections, examining the history of the medium and its influence in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The exhibition asks: Who was taking the photograph and why? Section by section, items are presented within their cultural context to explore some of the major themes of the 19th century - from expansion to industrialisation, science and the rapid changes taking place in society.
Free / PACCAR Gallery
In a Bloomsbury Square : T S Eliot the Publisher
COMING SOON: 14 September - 14 December 2009
2009 marks the 80th anniversary of Faber and Faber; this exhibition will examine T S Eliot's work as a publisher with the company over a period of almost four decades. Using original manuscripts, correspondence, art-works and sound recordings from the Library's collections, as well as previously unseen material from the Faber archive and the Eliot estate, the exhibition will explore the ways in which Eliot nurtured some of the most significant writers of the 20th century, including James Joyce, W H Auden, Marianne Moore, David Jones, and Ted Hughes.
Free / Folio Society Gallery
The Sound and the Fury: The Power of Public Speaking
Open until December 2009
Drawing on the British Library's vast Sound Archive and newspaper collections this rousing exhibition presents the spoken word in perhaps its most forceful guise: that of public speaking. The exhibition offers visitors a unique historical review of the art and power of the spoken word, from famous speeches in world history and emotional public addresses to unforgettable sporting moments.
Free / Entrance Hall
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BRITISH LIBRARY PERMANENT GALLERIES
Discover some of the world's most exciting and significant books, from Codex Sinaiticus (the world's oldest bible) to Magna Carta. Marvel at the genius behind Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and see the earliest versions of some of the greatest works of English literature, including Shakespeare's First Folio. From Beethoven's tuning fork to The Beatles, there's something here for everyone. The three permanent galleries are:
Treasures of the British Library
Discover some of the most exciting and significant books and manuscripts, from Captain Scott's diary and the Gutenberg Bible, to Mozart and the Beatles. Over 250 beautiful and fascinating items are on display: Sacred texts from many faiths, maps and views, early printing, literary, historical, scientific and musical works from over the centuries and around the world.
SPECIAL DISPLAY: Samuel Johnson and London
Open until the end of September 2009
Celebrated for his famous Dictionary of the English Language and for commenting that 'the man who is tired of London is tired of life' this small display to mark the 300th anniversary of the birth of Samuel Johnson focuses on four areas - Samuel Johnson as a bookseller; the creation of the dictionary; Johnson as an author and poet and finally on Johnson's legacy. The display also includes items relating to James Boswell's famous life of Samuel Johnson.
Free / Sir John Ritblat Gallery
The Philatelic Exhibition
The Philatelic exhibition of 80,000 items on the upper ground floor offers a unique opportunity to see many of the great rarities including the first stamps issued in Great Britain, and the first British colonial stamps issued in Mauritius in 1847. Other materials shown include early air mails and items reflecting the postal history of Poland during World War II.
Free / Entrance Hall
Conservation Uncovered
The mysteries and methods of book and paper conservation, and of sound restoration, are uncovered as you are invited to put yourself into a conservator's shoes.
Free / Centre for Conservation
ADMISSIONS
Admission to the British Library's permanent galleries is free.
Further details can be found at www.bl.uk/whatson
Opening hours
Monday 09.30 - 18.00
Tuesday 09.30 - 20.00
Wednesday 09.30 - 18.00
Thursday 09.30 - 18.00
Friday 09.30 - 18.00
Saturday 09.30 -17.00
Sunday and Public Holidays 11.00 - 17.00
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GALLERY TOURS
British Library Tours
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 15.00, Saturdays 10.30 and 15.00
Find out more about our history, collections and architecture with tours of the public areas of the building. Tours of the public areas which include a visit to a Reading Room take place on Sundays and Public Holidays at 11.30 and 15.00. Both tours last roughly an hour.
£8 / £6.50 concessions / Information Desk
To book: +44 (0)1937 546 546 / http://boxoffice.bl.uk
Viewing Gallery Tours
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 11.00
Take a different look at the Library with a visit to the Library's Viewing Gallery which offers visitors a unique opportunity to see reading rooms, their design and how they are used. You will also see how books are ordered and delivered to the reading rooms. Tours last around 45 minutes.
Free / Information Desk
To book: +44 (0)20 7412 7639 / visit-tours@bl.uk
BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOURS
Behind the scenes tours of the conservation studios
Every Thursday 14.00 - 15.00
See the work of conservation and gain an insight into the techniques used to care for our collections on a 'behind the scenes' tour of the Conservation studios. Please note that coats and bags (including handbags) cannot be taken into the studios. The tours are not suitable for children under 12.
Free / Centre for Conservation (maximum 15 places per tour)
To book: +44 (0)1937 546 546 / http://boxoffice.bl.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
For further details please contact:
Julie Yau
Arts Press Officer at the British Library
T: +44 (0)20 7412 7237
E: julie.yau@bl.uk
The British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library's collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilisation. It includes: books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages www.bl.uk.