Portal:British Library

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edit   The British Library Portal The British Library (BL) is the national library of the United Kingdom, and one of the world's largest libraries in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats, both print and digital: books, manuscripts, journals, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, videos, playscripts, patents, databases, maps, stamps, prints, drawings. The Library's collections include around 14 million books (second only to the USA's Library of Congress), along with substantial holdings of manuscripts and historical items dating back as far as 2000 BC. As a legal deposit library, the BL receives copies of all books produced in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, including a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the UK. It also has a significant budget for content acquisitions. The British Library adds some three million items every year occupying 11 kilometres of new shelf space. The library is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is located on the north side of Euston Road in St Pancras, London, between Euston railway station and St Pancras railway station and at Boston Spa in Yorkshire. More about the British Library... edit   Selected article The King's Library was one of the most important collections of books and pamphlets of the Age of Enlightenment. Assembled by George III, this scholarly library of over 65,000 volumes was subsequently given to the British nation by George IV. It was housed in a specially-built gallery in the British Museum from 1827 to 1997 and now forms part of the British Library. The term 'King's Library' is sometimes also used to refer to the gallery in the British Museum built for the collection. edit   Selected picture Paolozzi's sculpture "Newton" which draws upon William Blake's print Newton. The statue was commissioned for the British Library's new home in St Pancras and can be found in the plaza outside. edit   Did you know... ... that British architect Sir Colin Wilson (bust pictured), known for designing the new British Library near St Pancras station, donated his collection of modern art to the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester? ... that the books and manuscripts in the Renaissance era Cotton library were categorized by their location in relation to busts of Caesars shelved alongside them? ... that grants given to the British Library by the Friends of the British Library have enabled it to acquire many historical treasures, such as the Dering Roll? ... that the Crawford Library was called the greatest philatelic library in the world when its owner died in 1913? ... that Menggu Ziyun is a 14th century rime dictionary of Chinese as written in the 'Phags-pa script? edit   Selected Floor First floor edit   Selected quote “ The great British Library — an immense collection of volumes of all ages and languages, many of which are now forgotten, and most of which are seldom read: one of these sequestered pools of obsolete literature to which modern authors repair, and draw buckets full of classic lore, or “pure English, undefiled” wherewith to swell their own scanty rills of thought. ” — Washington Irving (1783 –1859) The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. 1819 edit   Categories ▼ British Library ► British Library portal ► British Library templates ► British Library collections ► Employees of the British Library ► British Library-related stubs [−] Media edit   British Library WikiProject The British Library WikiProject is a project that helps to assemble writers and editors interested in improving topics related to the British Library. The aim of this project is to standardize and improve articles related to the British Library, as well as to create any missing articles. To become a member of this WikiProject (anyone may join), simply click here and add your name.  FA   A   GA   B   C   Start   Stub   FL   List   Category   Portal   Project   Template   NA   ???  Total 6 0 9 11 20 127 84 0 2 44 1 4 2 0 151 461 More info on the project.... edit   British Library on other Wikimedia projects

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