Libraries

The Museum’s collection is available to researchers of all different levels through its galleries, libraries and study rooms, as well as online.

The British Museum contains several libraries which vary in size, content and readership and catalogues for all of the Museum’s libraries can be searched online.

Objectives

• We will provide overview of the BM’s approach to managing the Museum’s collection of books.
• We will give a history of libraries within the Museum.
• You will be given an introduction to the management structures and teams who work in the sections and how they ‘fit’ within the larger museum structure.
• We will explain importance of making our libraries available to the public – both in person and online.
• You will be given an overview of best practice in library management.
• We will share the biggest challenges facing our library collections, including how COVID-19 has affected the libraries.
• We will look at the future of the British Museum library collections.