The British Library (BL) is both the national library of the United Kingdom. It is also one of the world's most significant research libraries, holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats. The Library's collection of books alone number over 25 million. The British Library is the legal deposit library, meaning it has the right to receive one copy of all the books produced in the United Kingdom, including foreign books distributed there. It adds 3 million items to its collection every year.
The British Library was originally part of the British Museum. It only came into being in 1973, with the British Library act of 1972. For many years, its collections were distributed into several sites around central London, including within the British Museum, at Chancery Lane, at Holborn, Boston Spa, Yorkshire and Colindale. In 1997 all these were pooled together into a single new building next to St Pancras Railway Station.
The British Library is the largest public building constructed in the United Kingdom in the 20th century. At the centre of the British Library is a 4-storey glass tower called the King's Library or Royal Library. It contains 65,000 printed volumes donated by King George III between 1763 and 1820.
An Act of Parliament in 1911 ensured that the British Library is entitled to receive a copy of every item published in Britain.
British Library, London
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