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Our collections

Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that gets bigger every day.

A view of a woman from above. She sits at a desk in the British Library Boston Spa Reading Room, consulting a number of open books.

We have millions of books, but also newspapers, maps, sound recordings, photographs, patents and stamps.

Search our catalogues or explore our research guides.

You'll need a Reader Pass to see material in our Reading Rooms. You can find out how to use the Library here.

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What's available?

We are recovering from a cyber-attack that disrupted our systems and services. Recovery is underway, but not everything is back yet. Thank you for your continued patience and support.

Find out what’s currently available and how you can use the Library during this recovery period.

Speak to one of our team

Our Reference team can help you navigate our collection and resources. From scholarly research to today's newspapers, our team can help you find what you're looking for.

You can speak to us in the Reading Rooms or send us a message online.

Ask a question

How to use the Library

Our collections, study spaces and services are open to everyone. Whether you're an academic or conducting personal research, all you need is a free Reader Pass.

Using the Library for your research