For details of our site in Yorkshire, see our Boston Spa Reading Room page.

Cloakrooms and lockers

The Library provides a Cloakroom and Locker Room for visitors, both located on the Lower Ground floor and accessible via a lift, ramp or stairs. Please note our Cloakroom is closed on Sundays, so please make use of our lockers then.

Our Cloakroom and digital lockers are free to use. The lockers measure 39 (H) x 39 (W) x 42 (D) cm and must be emptied at the end of each day.

Visitors to our Reading Rooms are required to leave coats and bags in the Cloakroom or in a locker. If you are visiting our exhibition galleries you will also be required to leave backpacks in the Cloakroom. 

For those visitors coming to the exhibition galleries on Sundays, please note that our Cloakroom is unavailable. All items must therefore be placed in our lockers. Facilities are available for bags that will not fit into lockers (see large luggage restrictions below) but we strongly recommend you also have a padlock/locking device on these items for added security.  

Large luggage

We restrict the size of luggage you can bring into the Library to airline ‘carry on’ size. Any luggage larger than 56 (H) x 45 (W) x 25 (D) cm will not be allowed into the British Library for safety and security reasons. There is a size gauge outside our entrance.

Please note that this size restriction does not apply to pushchairs, foldaway bicycles, umbrellas or walking sticks.

E-scooters, e-bicycles and e-unicycles are not permitted.

Toilets

There are toilets on all floors of the Library, including disabled toilets within main toilet facilities and also separate unisex accessible toilets for privacy. Find more information on accessibility in the Library.

Restaurants and cafés

Find out where you can eat and drink while you’re here.

Lost property

For all Lost Property enquiries please go to the Information Desk, call +44 (0)20 7412 7809 or email lostproperty@bl.uk

Free WiFi

There is free WiFi for visitors to the British Library. Registration is required to log on to British Library WiFi.

Smoking

No smoking is permitted anywhere on the St Pancras site, including the Piazza.

Contact us

Telephone: 0330 333 1144
Textphone: 01937 546 434
Email: Customer-services@bl.uk
Outside UK: +44 (0)1937 546 060