Our collection

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 available catalogues below. If you need tips or guidance on searching the catalogues, requesting items or understanding the different areas of our collection, 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.

Search our main catalogue

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.

What's available?Guides and help

Available catalogues

Main catalogue

The main British Library catalogue, including books, printed material, and some electronic resources.

Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue

An interim catalogue containing archives, manuscripts and visual arts collections.

Electronic Legal Deposit Catalogue

An interim catalogue for digital journals and books published in the UK. This catalogue contains records created before October 2023.

Sound and Moving Image catalogue

This interim catalogue includes records from our sound and moving image collection.

British National Bibliography (BNB)

Linked open data for books and journals published or distributed in the United Kingdom and Ireland since 1950, and electronic publications since 2013.

English Short Title Catalogue (ESTC)

Over 500,000 records of works printed in the English-speaking world before 1801. Hosted by the Consortium of European Research Libraries (CERL).

Incunabula Short Title Catalogue (ISTC)

The international database of 15th-century European printing, created by the British Library with contributions from institutions worldwide.

Digital collections

A page from the Eadui Psalter showing St Benedict giving the Rule to the monks. Framed by an arch, St Benedict is seated, while monks approach with an open book. The scribe, Eadui Basan, kneels embracing the saint's feet. Above, the hand of God appears holding an inscribed scroll.

Digitised manuscripts and archives

View thousands of digitised manuscripts and archives, including the Sherborne Missal and Octateuch, Four Gospels and Synodicon.

Research

Endangered Archives Programme (EAP)

Digitised archives from around the world that were in danger of destruction, neglect or physical deterioration.

Research

International Dunhuang Programme (IDP)

Over 40,000 conserved and digitised manuscripts, paintings, historical photographs, textiles and artefacts from the Eastern Silk Roads.

Research

Qatar Digital Library

Over two million digitised pages, covering the history and culture of the Gulf and wider region, including Arabic scientific manuscripts from our collection.

Research

Book shelving and step ladders in the basement of the British Library.

Research Repository

An open access repository for outputs from our staff, data sets, 3D models of collection items, and content from other heritage organisations.

Research

Illustration of Hamlet holding Yorick's skull with gravedigger observing.

Collection images

Our picture library gives instant access to thousands of the greatest images from our collection. Free and paid-for options, depending on resolution and copyright.

Research

Google Books

Over 700,000 digitised books from our collection are available on Google Books.

Research

Illustration of singer on stage under limelight.

Theatrical playbills

Around 80,000 theatre posters, including high resolution images with searchable text of English, Scottish, and Irish playbills made between 1600 and 1902.

Research

Recommended eresources

Digital resources selected by our experts, including websites, full text databases, abstracting and indexing databases and other reference sources.

Research

Journals and books

Visit our Reading Rooms to access online journals, e-books and sheet music, published in the UK and Ireland.

Research

Newspapers

Register with The British Newspaper Archive (BNA) and visit our Reading Rooms to access nearly 90 million pages of digitised newspapers for free.

Research

Full list of available content

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

Other ways to explore our collection

A woman looks at an illuminated display on the wall, showing pages from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Stories about our collections

Uncover the wonders of our collections through our blogs, articles, and news.

Research

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Exhibitions and events

Discover exhibitions, events, and courses with a host of world-class speakers. In London, Yorkshire and online.

Research

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Learning events, workshops and resources

Explore, imagine, create. Join us onsite or online for school workshops, family days, young people’s events, adult courses and community activities.

Schools

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