
Governance
Find out who the key people are at the Library and how we are organised and governed.
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, established in 1973 and governed by the British Library Act. The Library’s mission is to ‘make our intellectual heritage accessible to everyone, for research, inspiration and enjoyment’.
The British Library has full charitable status, but has exemption under the Charities Act 2011 from registration and oversight by the Charity Commission. DCMS acts as the Library's principal regulator for charity law purposes.
Under the provisions of the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003, the British Library receives a copy of every printed publication issued in the UK. The Legal Deposit Libraries (Non-Print Works) Regulations 2013 extended this arrangement to include UK websites and electronic publications.
Since 2014, the British Library Board has been responsible for administering payments to authors under the terms of the Public Lending Right Act 1979.
The Library's governance framework document (PDF format) includes the Board's scheme of delegation.
Statutory and funding obligations
British Library Act 1972
External web link to the British Library Act 1972
Management agreement with DCMS
Details of the Library's funding and management agreement with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Legal deposit
Find out about your responsibility as a UK publisher to provide a copy of every work to the British Library.
PLR
Register for Public Lending Right (PLR) to receive payments each time that a public library lends out a copy of your work.
Board and leadership
British Library Board
Profiles of the British Library Board, its Chair and members
Leadership team
Organisation and leadership of the British Library
Annual reports, policies and advice
Annual Reports and Accounts
Every Annual Report and Accounts published by the British Library since March 2000
Corporate policies
Corporate policies and policy statements, including our code of service.
British Library Advisory Council
Role and members of the British Library Advisory Council
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