Contact us
Switchboard: +44 (0)330 333 1144
Customer Services: +44 (0)1937 546060
Email: Customer-Services@bl.uk
If you have any questions or problems with our services, you can speak to our Customer Services Team between 08.30 and 19.00 (UK time), Monday to Friday, except when the Library is closed for a public holiday. Customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can use a textphone to contact Customer Services on +44 (0)1937 546434.
What can I search for?
The search box at the top right of the home page can be used to search our main catalogue (57 million records) or you can search the British Library website (many thousands of images and sounds you can enjoy right now). You can refine your catalogue search to just get results for musical scores, for example.
The top navigation bar of our home page has dropdown menus to take you to our most popular pages (visiting us, specialist catalogues, resources for teachers etc.).
Can anyone visit the British Library?
Anyone is welcome to visit the British Library's main building at 96 Euston Road in central London. For more information on when you can visit our exhibitions, Shop, Reader Registration, Reading Rooms and restaurants see opening times
How can I obtain copies of books and other material from the Library? Does the Library allow people to borrow books?
Once you have a Reader Pass you can view material in our Reading Rooms. You can't take books out of the building. The British Library does not loan original items to individuals, but can send material to other libraries and to registered account holders.
You can request materials held in our Document Supply collection on interlibrary loan through your local library. More information
You can also purchase reproductions of some material through our Imaging Services for a fee. More information
