We spent a magical morning inspiring 27K children to step inside their own fantasy adventures. We encountered mythical beasts, portals, potions & maps. Huge thanks to the brilliant Kevin & Katie Tsang, Viviane Schwarz & Ben Shires. We can't wait to see the students' work!

Exciting FREE D/deaf accessible Family Festival: Imaginary Worlds, on Saturday 22 November. Run in partnership for the last 10 years with @britishmuseum @CamdenLearning @FrankBarnesDeaf Come join in the fun! events.bl.uk/events/family-…

English teachers, have you booked your free place for our CPD on Hamlet in context?
eventbrite.co.uk/e/155972997734…
Join us on 12 November, with the fabulous Professor Emma Smith and teacher & author @MichaelDonkor, for a rich discussion of theatricality & performance in the play.

What are your plans for #nationalpoetryday on 2nd Oct? Did you know we have this brilliant free online event with Manjeet Mann for KS3 to explore her novel in verse ROAR! To turn up the volume on poetry, book via : shorturl.at/FCsBg

Teaching Hamlet? Bookings are open for our free online CPD with the fabulous Professor Emma Smith, and teacher and author @MichaelDonkor.

Join us on 12 November for a rich discussion and new resources, exploring ideas of theatricality and performance. eventbrite.co.uk/e/hamlet-in-co…

Join this free online event for KS3 with Manjeet Mann and the @britishlibrary to celebrate National Poetry Day on 2nd Oct and turn up the volume on poetry in your classroom! Book here: shorturl.at/FCsBg #nationalpoetryday

Our partnership with Leeds Children's Services has been shortlisted for the Equitable Partnership Award at the Museums Change Lives Awards 2025! The awards will be announced in a ceremony at #Museums2025
Find out more via mus.ms/awards2025 @MuseumsAssoc

Looking for schools to pilot an exciting new hands-on study day for KS4 on Gothic. The @britishlibrary & @RCPhysicians partner to explore body snatching, science & gory C19 contexts of GCSE texts. Dates: 6th & 15th October. Book via: tinyurl.com/mtux7xwp / email schools@bl.uk

Calling all KS1 Teachers! Want to develop your student’s storytelling and literacy skills?
Join us at the British Library for our free 60min ‘Once Upon A Time…’ Workshops! Available to book now for September 2025 :
tiny.cc/4tho001
tiny.cc/1tho001

Join the Teachers' Reading Challenge to explore new children’s books and bring fresh inspiration into the classroom. #TRC2025
Sign up now 👉 teachersreadingchallenge.org.uk

We're thrilled that our Discovering Children's Books programme has been highly commended for the @ukla's Diversity & Inclusion Brenda Eastwood Award, 2025. HUGE thanks to @The_UKLA, Janet Douglas Gardner, & all the wonderful experts & authors who've worked with us over the years

Calling all A-Levels teachers! Interested in developing your student’s writing skills?
Join us in September 2025 at the British Library for Bridge workshops run by the Royal Literary Fund! Available for Year 12-13 and free to attend, book now at: shorturl.at/tkmTX

Such a joy to hear Michael Donkor and Professor Emma Smith sharing their insights on Macbeth in context. Hugest thanks to them - and all the teachers who joined us from across the UK and beyond!

English teachers! Are you joining our free livestreamed CPD on Macbeth in context tomorrow? Explore ideas of agency and blame with the wonderful Professor Emma Smith, and teacher & author @MichaelDonkor. There's still time to book your place: eventbrite.co.uk/e/131889900542…

#ReadingWell for families is a new booklist from @readingagency to support parents and carers with their mental health and wellbeing in pregnancy and the early years. Available now to borrow for free from libraries or browse online at readingagency.org.uk/reading-well 📚

No school library? Apply now for #LibrariesForPrimaries from our brilliant friends @Literacy_Trust
500 FREE books
FREE library furniture
FREE teacher training
Worth £6,500+
Apply for 2025/26: librariesforprimaries.org.uk/schools #LibrariesForPrimaries #PrimaryTeachers #Literacy

📚 Just one week to go until the #Carnegie2025 ceremony!

Celebrating the best in children’s and YA writing and illustration – and the power of librarians and reading for pleasure.

Follow @CarnegieMedals for updates and stream at carnegies.co.uk/stream/ on 19 June.

Huge thanks to @RashmiWriting, Viviane Schwarz & @BenShires for yesterday's fabulous Make a Guidebook livestreamed event. We explored maps, local foods, cultural histories and landscapes. And to the 20K children across the UK who joined us: we can't wait to see your guidebooks!

Have you booked your free place yet?

English teachers! Join us on 25 June for a livestreamed CPD on Macbeth in context, with the wonderful Professor Emma Smith, and teacher & author @MichaelDonkor. We're delving into ideas of agency & blame.
Book here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/131889900542…

Join our 3 free Sound Collection CPD aimed at Key Stage 2-5 teachers and educators. They will explore the world of sound archives (covering accents and dialects, Oral History and creative responses to sounds) at
@britishlibrary in June. To book: tiny.cc/xj6l001

We asked children across the UK to send us their own pourquoi stories, explaining the mysteries of nature. The lucky winners of our prize draw received handwritten letters from @MichaelRosenYes himself.

So wonderful to see that you received yours, @school_georges!

Looking for ways to help learners connect with voices in the past in meaningful and thought-provoking ways? Check out this blog post, by Debbie Bogard, which explores ideas for promoting 'interactive listening' through comparing oral history clips:
blogs.bl.uk/sound-and-visi…

English teachers! Bookings are open for our next free online CPD - exploring Macbeth in context on 25 June.
Join Professor Emma Smith, & teacher and author @MichaelDonkor for fresh perspectives, tips & resources. We'll delve into ideas of agency & blame.
eventbrite.co.uk/e/131889900542…

From 2-12 June, join 1000s of children and young people to take part in the fabulous Empathy Day Festival from @EmpathyLabUK.

Visit empathylab.uk to explore FREE resources and activities, and browse the full programme of live and on-demand events and CPD webinars.

Quick Reads from @readingagency are short, powerful books by bestselling authors – perfect for ESOL learners, busy lives, or those getting back into reading.
Find your next read this #WorldBookNight📚
Find out more: bit.ly/42L1BjK
#QuickReads

PHSE leads are you looking for ways to spark healthy conversations about masculinity and teenage identities with your students? Here a FREE event with American author Jason Reynolds in conversation with musician and mental health advocate Jordan Stephens tinyurl.com/2s3hnjwb

We are all saddened to hear of the passing of Alex Wheatle MBE – a brilliant, powerful writer & champion for children & young people.

It was a privilege to have worked with him through our Learning programme.

We send our condolences to all who knew him. He will be hugely missed

Looking for fun things to do on #worldbookday? There's still time to sign up to our Global Tales of Nature event with @MichaelRosenYes & friends. You could even win a letter from Michael & book tokens for your school. To view, just tag us on X or email us at childrens.books@bl.uk

Primary schools: join @MichaelRosenYes, @AFatimaharan, @EmilyDragonfly & @sandrastorytime for our FREE live-streamed event, Global Tales of Nature. Enjoy magical storytelling, draw-alongs & creative prompts to inspire students' own nature tales.

eventbrite.co.uk/e/global-tales…

A lovely chance for English and history students to quiz bestselling author Philippa Gregory coming up after half term,Thu 27 Feb 2025 at 11:15. DM us if one of your pupils would like to submit a question for the author! More info: tinyurl.com/29ttrytf
@LitdriveUK @histassoc

English teachers! We're delighted to be running free online CPD on Blake, Wordsworth & Romanticism. Join us on March 11, with a wonderful panel of writers & teachers - @MichaelDonkor, @HelenMort, Iain Sinclair & Alexander Fairbairn-Dixon.
Book here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/111894776588…

History teachers! Have you booked your free place for our CPD with @histassoc on Thurs?
Get fresh ideas & resources on South Asian migration to Britain in the 19th century, with leading historian Yasmin Khan,@Justice2History & @EmmaMc2112.
Find out more: history.org.uk/secondary/cate…

History teachers! Don't miss our free online CPD with @histassoc on Thurs 13 Feb. Get fresh ideas & rich resources on South Asian migration to Britain in the 19th century, with the fabulous Dr Yasmin Khan, @Justice2History & @EmmaMc2112.

Book your place: history.org.uk/secondary/cate…

Engish teachers! Bookings are open for our free online CPD on Romantic poetry in context, on March 11.

Get fresh ideas and resources, with our fabulous panel of writers and teachers - @MichaelDonkor, @HelenMort, Iain Sinclair & Alexander Fairbairn-Dixon.
eventbrite.co.uk/e/111894776588…

History teachers! Join Dr Yasmin Khan @OxfordYasmin, @Justice2History, & Head of History @EmmaMc2112, for fresh ideas & resources on South Asian migration to Britain in the 19th century.

Book your free place for our online CPD with @histassoc on 13 Feb:
history.org.uk/secondary/cate…

Delve into 100 of our best-loved Discovering Literature articles & films, including expert insights on Chaucer & medieval texts -
padlet.com/discovering_li…
- from The Wife of Bath & The Merchant's Tale to the mystery plays & David Crystal's introductions to Old & Middle English.

Thank you very much to Year 4 students from @minster_c for their beautiful writing on Beowulf ! We were really impressed! We hope to welcome you soon at the library!

Such a joy to hear Tanika Gupta discussing her brilliant play The Empress, with the wonderful Dr Lesley Nelson-Addy. We loved delving into the play's context with Dr @FloStadt & getting teaching tips from Blue Coat School.

Email discovering.literature@bl.uk for the CPD recording

Teachers! Join us and historian Prof @DrJaninaRamirez delving into the lives of medieval women in this free event for KS3 students on 13th December! We have a few spaces after a last-minute cancellation: tiny.cc/ur2zzz
#Medievalwomen #schools #Britishlibrary

English and Drama teachers! There's still time to sign up for our free livestreamed CPD on The Empress, with the award-winning playwright Tanika Gupta.

Join us at 4pm tomorrow - Tuesday 3 Dec - for a rich discussion of empire, class and gender: eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-empress-…

Have you booked your free place yet?
eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-empress-…
Don't miss our free livestreamed CPD on The Empress, with the celebrated playwright Tanika Gupta, Dr Lesley Nelson-Addy, Dr @FloStadt and teachers from @BlueCoatCofE. 3 Dec at 4pm.

Looking for fantastic texts to make English & Drama more inclusive?
Join our free online CPD on The Empress with playwright Tanika Gupta, Dr Lesley Nelson-Addy of Lit in Colour, Dr Florian Stadtler & Blue Coat School teachers.
Book your place for 3 Dec: eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-empress-…

English & Drama teachers! Join the celebrated playwright Tanika Gupta, for free online CPD on The Empress on Dec 3.
eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-empress-…
Meet the author, with Dr Lesley Nelson-Addy, Dr @FloStadt & @BlueCoatCofE teachers, to inspire & support you to teach the play at KS3-5.

Build students' active listening and oracy skills as they journey back in time with our storytellers for free immersive workshops in Medieval Women & A Silk Road Oasis exhibitions. These 60min workshops will engage sensory seeking SEND students & KS1 tinyurl.com/ym3sc2e4

We are very excited to welcome TV historian and academic
@DrJaninaRamirez
to the
@BritishLibrary
to share her unparalleled enthusiasm for the women of the medieval period. Your class can join us free in person or online: tinyurl.com/33ecx4tp #medievalwomen #BritishLibrary

This morning's Step Inside Your Story was AMAZING. JT Williams, @MaisieWrites, @AFatimaharan & @BenShires provided inspirational ideas to help children celebrate representation & explore heritage. Look at their handmade books! For the link, contact us at childrens.books@bl.uk

English teachers, have you signed up for our free CPD on Othello?
eventbrite.co.uk/e/othello-in-c…
Join us on 23 October, for a rich discussion with Professor Emma Smith, teacher & author @MichaelDonkor, and teacher & founder of Shakespeare, Race & Pedagogy, Dr Wendy Lennon @writerlennon

Primary schools: there's still time to book your FREE place on our 'Authors into Schools' event, with @MaisieWrites, JT Williams, @AFatimaharan & @BenShires. Celebrate representation & heritage, & inspire your students to write books about themselves! eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-primary…

We are very excited to welcome TV historian and academic @DrJaninaRamirez to the @BritishLibrary to share her unparalleled enthusiasm for the women of the medieval period. Your class can join us free in person or online: tinyurl.com/33ecx4tp

An absolute joy to hear JT Williams, @MaisieWrites, @storyriver & @ksandsoconnor discussing process, inspiration, storytelling & stepping into the past, at yesterday's twilight CPD for teachers. To access the recording, contact childrens.books@bl.uk