British Library, National research library in St Pancras, United Kingdom
The British Library is a national research library in St Pancras, London Borough of Camden, holding over 170 million items from all historical periods. The building contains numerous reading rooms, exhibition galleries, and conservation spaces spread across several floors.
The institution was established in 1973 as an independent body, merging collections from the British Museum Library with several other national repositories. The current St Pancras building opened in 1997, bringing together previously scattered holdings in one location.
More than 1.5 million people visit the exhibition spaces and galleries each year to see items like the Magna Carta or original scores by Mozart. Visitors can attend events and talks on literature, music, and the history of science in the public areas without needing a reader pass.
A reader pass with valid photo identification is required to access the research collections, while the public galleries are freely accessible. Rare or fragile materials must be ordered in advance, as they are not immediately available.
Legal deposit legislation ensures the institution receives a copy of every publication produced in the United Kingdom and Ireland. This adds roughly three million items per year, requiring about five miles (eight kilometers) of new shelving space annually.
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