Blogs

Get the latest stories and updates from our curators, cataloguers, reference staff and guest contributors. Find out more about amazing items in our collection, recent acquisitions, the latest research and what's happening at the Library.

Older blogs

All blogs published before August 2025 will be available in an archive shortly. If you urgently need access to an archived blog, please contact us.

Latest blog posts

Read our latest blogs and some of our most popular content from our archive.

A small printed booklet resting on top of a cut log with branch stubs protruding crown-like around its perimeter. Tthe booklet it reads, 'This is a Forest, 6 October – 26 November 2023'.

Blog

Amazonian Brazil and the Bohee Brothers

3 September 2026

We welcome Invisible Flock and Jess Rowley, the 2026–27 Eccles Institute Creative Fellows.

Black-and-white photograph of John Berger sitting at a crowded desk in his study. Papers, books and writing materials cover the desk, with shelves of books and photographs behind him.

Blog

John Berger: a life in papers, pictures and sound

24 August 2026

Explore John Berger's creative life through the manuscripts, books and recordings held at the British Library.

A book cover of Graham Greene 'Routes sans Lois' illustration depicting several figures, a donkey, and some large cacti.

Blog

Graham Greene, from St Pancras to revolutionary Mexico

20 August 2026

Exploring Graham Greene’s Mexico writings and his travels through the country in the 1930s.

A hand-drawn colour map, which has been drawn across two pages of the open volume.

Blog

Rebels, refugees or subjects? The Sawantwadi Exiles

20 August 2026

The Sawantwadi Uprising of 1844–45 showed that the frontier between British India and Portuguese Goa was more than a political boundary.

Cover of a Ukrainian translation of Grimms' fairy tales with an image in red and black of a gnome dancing beside a toadstool.

Blog

Fairy tales for Ukrainian and Belarusian children

17 August 2026

The British Library holds many self-published books for children who were in Displaced Persons’ camps after the Second World War.

A photo of a three-tier white cake, decorated with ribbons and with sparklers on top, which are lit. The cake has stickers reading '75 IAML'.

Blog

Music Collections at the 2026 IAML Congress

14 August 2026

Colleagues attended the Annual Congress of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres.

All blogs

Blogs by topic

Asian and African studies

Uncover topics related to our diverse collection from Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Americas and Oceania collection

Explore the latest insights and research on our collection relating to North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Oceania.

Collection material prepared for conservation.

Collection care

Get a glimpse behind-the-scenes and see how we care for our collection, from treasures such as Magna Carta to our digital eBooks.

Digital scholarship

Track exciting developments at the intersection of libraries, scholarship and technology.

Eastern Silk Roads studies

Research on ancient Eastern/Central Asian materials and updates on related projects from the International Dunhuang Programme.

Endangered archives

Learn more about our programme to preserve vulnerable archives from around the world.

English and drama

Discover more about our literature and theatre collection from the 16th century to the present day.

Painting of castle in mountain landscape.

European studies

Explore our extensive collection from continental Europe and read the latest news and views from our subject experts.

Innovation and enterprise

Get advice and information on how to use our collection and services to start, launch and grow your business.

Knowledge Matters

Get the latest updates from the British Library, including our key projects, goals, and future plans.

Maps and views

Engage with the national map collection, and with wider discussions of maps, mapping in research and culture.

Medieval manuscripts

Get regular updates on our world-class collection of manuscripts, digitisation projects and research.

Music

Explore our music collections, spanning manuscripts, archives, printed and digital sources.

Science

Find out more about our resources and services, and scientific developments in areas such as environmental and biomedical science.

Social science

Explore our collections, events and research on subjects such as politics, economics, sociology, law, cultural and media studies.

Sound and vision

Discover more about the millions of sound recordings archived at the British Library and the access we provide to video material.

Composite of desks, computers and newspaper front page.

The newsroom

Find out where news media may be going in the future and get tips on how to use our collection of printed, television, radio and web news.

UK Web Archive

Read views from the team that preserves UK websites of scholarly and cultural importance.

Illustration of a policeman directing directing busy horse-drawn traffic.

Untold lives

Explore fascinating and forgotten stories of people’s lives worldwide, from the dawn of history to the present day.

Ideas and inspiration sent directly to your inbox

Join our mailing list to keep up to date with Library news and events.

By clicking 'Sign up' you agree that you wish to regularly receive news and update emails from the British Library. You can unsubscribe at any time. View our Privacy Policy for more information.

If you encounter any problems subscribing please contact us.