This was one of my favorite places to visit during my time in London. It's such a treat and so off the beaten path from normal touristy hub-bub. There were people here, but it wasn't crowded in the slightest. And, outside of the main exhibit, you could visit the entire library for free, including it's permanent collection of beautiful works dating back as far as the first found edition of the Gospel of John. They had recordings of Lewis Carrol and Walt Whitman reading their works, prints from DaVinci, sheet music from Stravinsky, and so much more. Highly recommend anyone interested in books to check this out. read more

What a great big library! I LOVE the British Library. It's amazing - I swear they seem to have every book that exists on the planet there ! I've never been disappointed. The only snag is that it can get pretty busy... and due to tight security measures, it's a bit of a hassle locking your stuff in the locker downstairs, putting your laptop into a see-through plastic bag, basically there are loads of rules you have to follow, and if you dare to break them, you might be banned from ever returning. Like if you dare to make notes with a pen instead of a pencil. They're pretty protective of their darling books, so makes sure you're in an angelic mood before setting foot inside any of the reading rooms ! read more

It's sombre red-brick exterior was famously the target of Prince Charles' derision, but the British Library is a treasure even among the many fine public spaces available for Londoners. There are millions of books available to you once you join, plus an excellent cafe to chill out in between readings as well as regular free exhibitions that showcase the library's holdings. My favourite such exhibition was London in Maps, which told the amazing story of the city using it's geographic charting through the ages - I was able to locate my house in a field beside a river in Finsbury Park! Their website is both excellent and under-used. Even more of what is available in the building is accesssible online, including an amazing selection of multimedia resources, such as monthly themed historical podcasts. Top-notch. read more

I feel that I am obliged to write a review for BL, I first moved to London in the Fall of 2003 at a walking distance to BL, but have only discovered it after a good six months or so, but since the first time I was lured by the gigantic quote that was visible from outside its building, which read "where great minds meet" (not that I am one :P perhaps wanting to be lol) I could not resist its beauty! A truly magnificent place, I thought.. I quickly signed-up for a card and was automatically married to the place! It is my 'first' home in London and my only constant throughout the years until today :-) Literally, I have moved houses at an average of once every year but my 'first home', the BL, remains constant.. (LOL, how romantic!) It truly is though, I'm not making this up.. I still commute to the BL even when I'm living now close to Hammersmith and have had my daughter enrolled in a nursery around King's Cross because I got so much used to the place that I cannot be as productive and research anywhere else! (Pathetic, but well yeah, it's true!) A few things you might want to consider that some people find inconvenient include carrying your things in a plastic clear bag, using the cloak room or returnable-one-pound-coin locker room, bringing nothing into reading room, so an extra time wasted for grabbing a bite or a coffee run going out of their reading rooms, the coffee served in their first floor is bad but will obviously give you the caffeine fix that you need, the food is also overpriced but tasty, and last but not least, you must come early in order to secure a desk especially during peak season (May during exams for example) but the good thing is once you get a desk you could leave your stuff and have it as long as you want! Oh and ordering books do take time and if a book is popular you could wait in queues for ages, you can never take books outside reading rooms, that too.. There is also an annoying bag-search at the entrance of the library, there is a similar annoying clear-bag-search upon exiting the reading rooms, but if you're a familiar face you may be bound to pass unsearched. Apart from that, it is the perfect place to research and write at a spectacular place. Just the sight of the King's Library at its heart arouses intellectual curiosity and humbles you truly! There are open exhibitions throughout the year and a weekly open-air concert at lunchtime during Summer. There is free wifi for as long as I could remember, and good but limited seating throughout the library outside the reading rooms. Note that the reading rooms are the only places where you must present your card and also carry your stuff in clear plastic bags, members of the public are free to use the non-reading rooms facilities. There is also no prayer room but there are a couple of spots that are popular for prayers, such as the locker room by the Rare Books and Music Room as well as the telephone areas by the Humanity Room. You also get to meet great people sometimes and often be able to enjoy an intellectual conversation or just sympathy to mutual research issues over coffee. I still get these from time to time.. The staff also is friendly and never changes (at least for the past six years that I've been using it) and will often ask for you when you disappear for a vacation or so, so it does feel like home after-all :-) If anything I am grateful for in London, it is being able to study from BL! read more

I have been spending a considerable amount of time at the British Library lately (in fact, I'm here right now...), so I thought it merited a review. I am reluctantly giving it four stars, because I absolutely detest this place, yet at the same, recognise its value. It's a good place to get work done. It's cold, quiet, and has literally, physically, every book and periodical resource you could ever need. Indeed, there's a mandate that every book published in the UK must be sent to the BL upon its release. Since half of my MA course was conducted here, I got to know the cataloguing system and databases reeeeally well -- they're powerful tools, people. Learn how to use them right, and they'll all but do your work for you (sigh, if only). My issues are with the ridiculous security restrictions they impose here, and the STUPID locker system that goes along with it (these two are in tandem, I guess). No food, no pens, no jackets heavier than a cardigan (I get cold easily! I am from California, after all), and they go through your stuff each and every time you enter and exit the reading rooms. Sometimes, I really just need to go pee or grab a snack from my locker (a million years's walk away, I will have you know, and also singularly responsible for all of the £20 notes that I've had to break into £1 COINS, omg) and don't want to get my laptop stolen, so I'll take my stuff with me. It instead becomes this big process wherein the security guards rifle through every nook and cranny of the CLEAR PLASTIC BAG that I am trying to take out with me. I own a MacBook Air, which is as thin as a standard ruler, and they STILL ask me to open my computer...honestly, what book is going to fit in there? Really? Ugh. /endrant. Tips: 1) Bring a scarf or multiple cardis. Might even need earmuffs too, tbqh. 2) BRING A £1 COIN so you don't end up with a ridiculous amount of change/a ridiculously bulky purse 3) Get here early (ie before 11) during exam season, it gets rammed and they run out of lockers and space in the reading rooms, so you have to go to the awkward IP Business Centre, which has really weird desks and is even colder than the rest of the reading rooms (if that's even possible) 4) Don't expect to use the Internet very much/well, it might as well not work here, it's so bad. Maybe this is a good way to get work done, though. Also, quick question for everyone...what's the deal with the row of seats on the first floor, aka the Living Apple Advertisement? Why the hell is it so popular? One morning, I got to the library right as it opened at 9:30, and there was already a 30 person queue...just for that area... read more

Kept me entertained and focused for a considerable amount of time. The exhibitions are very interesting as well. However, it is really annoying that they don't have many seats for study and the policy towards minors is too strict. I also found the location great because once you get to st pancras it is really easy to get directions even without internet. read more

Library is great, really good selection (thesis writing time :p) but I had really horrible service when opening my account. The receptionist was demeaning instead of helpful, and insulted me to get his point across. After I finish with my research, I will probably not be going back. read more

Fantastic. The library is simply phenomenal. It's a perfect mix of the old library feeling with old, dusty books, the smell of history and a modern information age with laptops, smart phones and coffee everywhere. One of my highlights was definitely the Magna Charta and ohh ... the giftshop. I left with too many books and could have gotten even more read more

As an English Lit major in college, going to the British Library was like a pilgrimage to Mecca. The galleries were amazing. I could have stood there and stared at the Beowulf manuscripts for hours. Where else are you going to find original copies of Alice in Wonderland in the same place as handwritten song notes from the Beatles!? I recommend that all tourists make sure to add the British Library to their list of things they must do while in London. read more

It's free, it's conveniently located (literally next door to St Pancras International Station, which itself is next to Kings Cross and within a 5 minute walk from Euston), it has restaurants, it has some bad-ass history (original lyrics from several Beatles tracks), the King's Library (whatever this is, looks like something from the Crystal Maze) and currently the Magna Carta too. Awesome. Great place to spend a few hours. read more

Another mainstay of free London, the British Library appeals to more rarefied tastes than many of the city's other free offerings. Rarefied I am (do take that with a cliff of salt), but I really know not where to begin when I go there. I am pretty content to take in the atmosphere and appreciate the free access to millennia of information, of erudition, of contemplation. But more than that I want to participate in it, and it's this involvement that seems to elude me. I suppose this is my fault and I can't fault the British Library with my lack of engagement. It's a brilliant place full of potentially brilliant people. What more could one wish for? read more

What a FANTASTIC library. That's all I can say! I just wish they had longer opening hours. Everything in London closes too early....

I visited the reading room of the British library before 1997, when it was still in the British Museum. It was amazing. I thought that visiting the new British Library building at St Pancras is less interesting, as you can't visit the reading rooms without a reader pass. But I have to say that their exhibition of original music manuscripts, maps, early printings and books is great! We discovered some significant manuscripts, from Freud, Händel, Jane Austen to the Beatles. The coronation anthem for George II of England and Queen Caroline in 1727 was written by Händel. You can see the manuscript of Händel's anthem. Freud wrote "Der Dichter und das Phantasieren" and you can read the manuscript. The small writing desk of Jane Austen is also available in the British Library. From the Beatles you can see some original handwritten lyrics. John Lennon's lyrics to A Hard Day's Night song were written on the back of a birthday card for his son! read more

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Fantastic collection here. I loved seeing Jane Austen's writing desk as well as all the original manuscripts that are housed at the library. Great stop for a tourist. Free wi-fi was nice as well. read more

The best library in the world, of course. And not just bcause they have my books in their huge undergound vaults. This is an amazing place which people should know about and visit more often. In the summer, the piazza is lovely peaceful places to sit and relax, even though it is right beside th busy Euston Road. Inside the library, it gets even better. Head for the treasures permanent exhibition in the Sir John Ritblat gallery. You can see the Magna Carta, Shakespeare's first folios, and hand-written lyrics by John Lennon, all for free. Must be one of the best shows in London. read more

Just a friendly warning. If you are planning to just pop in to see this library and not already a happy owner of the library card -no luck. And getting this magic card -complicated. First there is the queue all the way to the hallway, with just few assistants helping out. Takes forever. You need to be a resident in London and bring them a document like gas bill or bank statement with your name and address on the paper. IMPORTANT. Make sure you check the list of approved documents from the websites before you go as I have been there, I brought a wrong one and had to go all that through again. But once you get the card and access to the actual library, it is incredible. read more

The British Library is one of the World's largest research libraries, holding over 150 million items in various languages and formats. It holds a wealth of information, invaluable to those writing their thesis or doing general research. To be able to use the library can be a difficult process, unlike obtaining membership in your local Library. The reading rooms are perfect places to write the dreaded dissertation, be prepared to be searched and your belongings checked and double checked. Pencils only, clear plastic bags for your things, it's almost like being checked at the airport! The vast collection in the Library is truly amazing. Every book published in the UK is said to be stored here so you should be able to find what you want! read more

Wonderful institution. Exciting exhibits to explore. Tours available.

The British Library recently gave me a 1 year reader's pass, so now I am a friend for life (or at least a year). It is a very impressive establishment indeed, with an absolutely huge amount of books stored underground of the building. I am amazed by the quite turnaround - all of my books that I have requested so far has shown up within an hour of ordering. They have a breath-taking array of historic books, texts and other materials. I am researching 18th century history, and I found that they have 15,000 maps which were owned by King George III. Think about it: 15K of maps that are over two centuries old. Incredible. What is more incredible is how easy it is to go look at them. I requested to see two yesterday, and was very nervous and unsure about the whole thing, thinking I wasn't worthy enough of the priviledge. But they just handed them me and I went and sat in the large table area by myself to view a massive world map from 1776. I was a little terrified that I was going to either sneeze on it (it was quite moldy) or fall on it and rip it in two (also a possibility as it was hard for a short person like me to reach and look at the top of it.) I made a little bit of a scene at one point when I accidentally dropped one of the heavy wooden weights on the floor, which made a massive noise and had everyone turn and look at me. But no harm done to the actual map. Aside from my Maps adventure, I have been mainly using the Rare Books and Music reading room (due to a fellow Yelpers recommendation). It is quite big, in a 'L' shape and there is plenty of atmosphere with the old wooden shelves and desks. Unfortunately the library staff are also a little wooden and cold - I have found them very off-putting to first time users. They have treated me with a fair amount of briskness and have been unwilling to part with information on how it all works. I am in the dark on certain issues - like how to access the online subscriptions - but am a little afraid to ask! They have free wifi so you should be able to view them on your laptop, but I cannot understand how it works. For my next visit I will be trying the Manuscripts room, because they have the full OED there and I have a passion for the OED. A shelf of dictionary! OK, in conclusion, the British Library is the ultimate London location for nerds. So perfect for me. read more

We only had a week to spend in London, and we came here twice to see the Sir John Ritblat Gallery. You simply can't miss it -- these are modern day treasures. read more

The word 'Library' may elicit mental images of old women shooshing noisy readers but that's far from the case when the Library in question is The British Library. First off the building itself is quite breathtaking with a fantastic courtyard for readers to get some fresh air. The main draw however is what's inside the building, which put simply is a lot of books and I mean a lot. They have historical bibles, priceless bits of paper with the original handwritten lyrics to Beatles songs on them, historical artefacts of all shapes and sizes and every book published in the UK. In order to look at the books you do need to have a readers card but these are free so just pop along with a passport photo, a form of id and a utility bill (go for bank statement rather than specsavers bill). read more

Yes you can see many old documents in an ugly building....but it is so much more than that. It's relatively light on tourists.......win win! read more

Want to see the original "Help" or "Michelle, My Belle lyrics in the handwriting of Lennon and McCartney? They are here as are ancient religious documents,maps and letters from renowned authors. Stuff you'll never see anyplace else. read more

Awesome, with an unparallelled collection of books and fascinating exhibitions also often taking place this is a wonderful place to while away a few hours. read more

The Sir John Ritblat Gallery at the The British Library features some of the most important documents in the history of the world. It's free to visit and definitively worth a couple of hours. I enjoyed this more than the more famous British Museum. read more

The British Library might be a big Government Funded conglomerate but in this case big is not beautiful. The first thing is the location in Londons' traffic polluted Euston Road is pretty filthy,its difficult to get to. the second thing this library is staffed and run by left wing unionised Civil Servants who are beholden unto The Establishment only. This has knock on effects whereby a certain authoritarian looking down on customers is in effect. This is particularly evident eg. in the Cloakroom service.Waiting times are long and service is surly.In the book delivery service,the staff often complain and grumble and the general reading room service. Priority appears to be given to professional accredited academics writers and the like. Lesser beings like Recent graduates intellectuals etc seem to be sidelined and looked down upon.In fact anyone studying at a University as an undergraduate is barred from reading Room admission and referred back to their own Academic Institution. I believe a proportion of the supervisory staff are recruited from The Prison service and this shows. Adhesion and enforcement of petty rules is the norm with staff patrolling readers watching for a chance to excercise their 'power' at the slightest infringment.At this they are quite good like a public school petty prefect of yore but to free thinking intellectuals it becomes irksome.Its like please write with a pencil please not a pen or please do not lean so heavily upon that book etc etc. Photocopying Rates are extortionate. You could waste a lot of time in here. The British Class system and Civil Service Hierarchy is very much in evidence. Some staff seem to have the propensity to unconsciously "wind up"or get into rows with readers by their rigid and rule bound outlooks,relying on the backing of the Union Supervisors and Bully Boy Security Guards to back up their wrong and insecure positions. All this is rather unpleasant though not every reader may be sensitive or perceptive enough to notice it. However reviews on eg Trip Advisor by several dozen other users do corroborate these aspects of the service. read more

Supposedly ever book ever printed in Britain although i found a coupe not in there(namely Eastern heroes kung fu movies by Rick baker) But still a great ambience whether your a student or researcher, or just bored and just wanna use the net. Situated right next to the newly renovated St.pancras station(Kings Cross if you haven't been to London in a while. You have to leave your bags down stairs cuz of security(near where the bombs when off). read more

So awesome! I went while the Propaganda: Power and Persuasion was on exhibit. The Magna Carta, Shakespeare's work, Sacred texts, and all kinds of good stuff at The Sir John Ritblat Gallery: Treasures of the British Library. A friend told me that every published British book gets one copy sent here too. Go and get your geek on :) read more

Fantastic library, a must for any student who needs to find that really hard to find reference book. Easy to use search facilities, friendly staff and about every book ever published. My only real nag is the parking again! If you are disabled like myself then public transport isn't always an option and therefore you need to drive and be able to park. It was very hard to find somewhere legal to park and added an extra half an hour of driving around to our journey. However the disabled facilities within the building were excellent with helpful and knowledgable staff incase of any difficulties which was a real breath of fresh air. read more

The British Library is one of the most fascinating attractions in London. The collections are only for researchers, but the building is beautiful and the public exhibit of the Library's treasures is truly remerkable. Plan to spend about 1-2 hours viewing this suberb collection of historic books and manuscripts. The good thing is that it's free to the public but really overcrowded! read more

This is a must visit destination if you are in the London area, this place is stuffed full of interesting things to do and see from exhibitions to a permanent collection of such interesting and historic documents such as the magna carta and Lindisfarne gospels, the diary of Captain Scott and a the original manuscript for The Ballad of Reading Gaol written by Oscar Wilde while incarcerated in the institution of thesame name. Housed in a beautiful building which also contains a cafe and a gift shop as well as the famous reading rooms which any use for sudy and research this an absolutely fantastic and free london destination whih cannot come highly recommended enough. read more

The building that houses the British Library of magnificent. You can get anything published in the UK and Ireland there. There are guided tours round the library. If you are only here for a shot time it might be the best thing to do unless you want to walk around the library at your own pace looking at things that you want to see. Besides recent items there are also many historical publications held in there eg Shakespeare's First Folio. It also has the earliest printed book that is dated. It is a fantastic place. Most of the exhibition galleries are free. There is also the special exhibitions, events, peotry readings and many other things going on there. read more

This library is seriously huge but you will probably be able to find pretty much any book you are looking for! However it is not as easy as it sounds as you have to queue for ages to leave your coat in the cloakroom, then you have to queue up to register, then you have to queue up to request a book etc. It is a long process but they only way forward, so make sure you have a whole day or at least a few hours. read more

It's so easy to become a member of this place - all you need is a proof of address - I dont know why more ppl dont do it. It gives you access to every single book published in the country. There are problems however, the food is dire and the staff seem stuck in some 1980s-socialist paradigm but just focus on the books! However, that doesn't effect the fact that this place is simply astonishing in terms of the range of its services and everything it can offer to the reader. in the last few years however the range of books available on the same day has decreased dramatically. read more

It's a great place for researching and reading, but the staff (especially the guy that was processing my reader pass) are the rudest and most unpleasant i have ever come across. I was absolutely fuming by the time i left and couldn't believe the disgusting attitude of this person. I have dealt with much nicer people since then, however this one person has rather tainted my view of the library since read more

Check out the unique Africa exhibition, "West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song" before it closes on 16 Feb. If you like African culture, literature and history, you may not find anything elsewhere with this scope. It covers 2,000 years of history across 17 countries now (1,000 languages), with fascinating insight of African societies (oldest engraving of Benin society in 1628), literature, religion, music. Did you know brave locals hid and saved many of the Timbuktu manuscripts when extremists tried to destroy them? The speaking out section is also great, with carnival, music, film and a post independence section with much Fela Kuti, posters, books, and even political printed dress fabric. Wow read more

Absolutely amazing. The size of the venue is huge, lots of seating, free wifi and of course as many books as you can shake a stick at!

Great location to catch up with friends, get a coffee to surf up the free wifi that's available. They also have a fantastic business center which can be used to research market trends and company information. read more

Loved every bit of it. One of my favorite places to visit in London. I saw several copies of the magna carta, some of Jane Austen's letters and her writing desk, the Original Handel's Messiah, with pencilled in names for who he thought should sing each part. Sigh... I can't wait to go back. Reading the other reviews, it sounds like people actually go there to study. I would love to do that too; I've heard the map room is the quietest place in London. :) Someday when I cross the pond again! read more

This is a fabulous place for anyone wishing to study or research, or even just to get inside to shelter from the rain! their website is also a great place for research at http://www.bl.uk . As well as the books and other reference materials, the building itself is worth a visit. read more