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22/05/2013

John Lennon Letters and Lyrics donated to the Nation - British Library first institution to benefit from the new 'lifetime giving' Scheme

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Manuscripts of the lyrics to The Beatles hit songs “Strawberry Fields Forever”, “She Said She Said” and “In My Life”, handwritten by John Lennon, have been donated to the British Library under the new Cultural Gifts Scheme, introduced by the Government earlier this year. The scheme is administered by Arts Council England.

Press Contact : Evie Jeffreys  + 44 (0) 20 7412 7105  evie.jeffreys@bl.uk

Policy

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Digital

The British Library has taken the lead, nationally and internationally, in aiming to overcome the challenges of collecting, preserving and providing contemporary and long term access to the world's digital knowledge.

The Library’s strategic vision is to 'provide both physical and digital access to world-class information where and when people need it'. We have developed a number of partnerships and business models to drive forward mass digitisation and create a valuable and enduring resource for researchers and the public alike.

Intellectual Property

The British Library is concerned that the shift from print to digital publishing is undermining the traditional balance at the heart of copyright in ways that could make it harder for researchers to access and use information.

We believe that the UK needs an intellectual property framework appropriate for the digital age.

Recent Press Releases

20/05/2013

Entrepreneurs behind Pizza Express, Gü, Biscuiteers and Higgidy reveal their recipe for success for fledging businesses

Food and drink remains the single largest manufacturing sector in the UK, but in a competitive and crowded market food entrepreneurs need to be savvier than ever to survive. In partnership with Barclays, the British Library will be bringing four of the food giants that have successfully penetrated the industry together to discuss their ingredients for success to an audience of start-up and growth businesses at the flagship ‘Inspiring Entrepreneurs’ series on 19 June.

  • 16/05/2013

    From The Little Red Book to the Green Cross Code, Propaganda: Power and Persuasion opens at the British Library exploring state propaganda from all over the world in its many forms

    • 17 May to 17 September 2013

    The British Library is delighted to present a major new exhibition examining state propaganda, from its origins in the ancient world up until the present day. With over 200 exhibits on display, ranging from chilling Nazi propaganda to modern day ephemera such as bank notes, badges and even tweets which permeate our everyday lives, Propaganda: Power and Persuasion is the first exhibition to gather such a significant range of international state propaganda in one room, looking at its rationales, methods and effectiveness.

    29/04/2013

    Summer 2013: the British Library explores state propaganda with a new major exhibition and hosts a season of music celebrating Benjamin Britten and Wagner

    The British Library this summer opens the new major exhibition Propaganda: Power and Persuasion, accompanied by a line-up of fascinating speakers and events as well as a performance from exciting multi media duo Public Service Broadcasting, as well as a new exhibition in The Folio Society Gallery, Poetry in Sound: The Music of Benjamin Britten, exploring Britten’s strong literary influences as part of the Britten 100 celebrations.

    24/04/2013

    British Library launches previously unpublished humorous autobiography of Keith Waterhouse, How to Live to Be 22

    ‘I have written it for the same reason that any young man of twenty-two writes a book, because I am in a sustained coma of industrious exuberance of having got a good idea, because my friends are going to wish that they had thought of it first and because many people are going to pay me a great many compliments about it. This is not being conceited; this is being a twenty-two year old.’
    - Keith Waterhouse

    Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall’s film adaptation of Billy Liar, the British Library will next month release the previously unpublished precursor to the iconic novel. How to Live to Be 22 was discovered by the British Library when the Keith Waterhouse archive was donated to the Library last year. Written in 1951 the manuscript remained unseen in Waterhouse’s personal archive for 62 years until now, as the Library publishes this humorous first work by the much loved writer for the first time.

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