Owner Biography
The British Library
The British Library was created in the early 1970's as a central repository. The following institutions were administratively combined to form the British Library: the library departments of the British Museum (which included the National Reference Library of Science and Invention), the National Central Library, and the National Lending Library for Science and Technology (the centre for interlibrary lending, located at Boston Spa in Yorkshire). In 1974 the British National Bibliography and the Office for Scientific and Technical Information joined the UK's new national library.
Two additional institutions subsequently became part of the Library increasing the breadth of its collections: the India Office Library and Records (1982) and the British Institute of Recorded Sound (1983).
According to their website, 3 million items are added each year. Among its many treasures is a copy of the Magna Carta, Leonardo Da Vinci's notebook, and one of the greatest institutional holdings of rare stamps, including the Tapling Collection.
Two additional institutions subsequently became part of the Library increasing the breadth of its collections: the India Office Library and Records (1982) and the British Institute of Recorded Sound (1983).
According to their website, 3 million items are added each year. Among its many treasures is a copy of the Magna Carta, Leonardo Da Vinci's notebook, and one of the greatest institutional holdings of rare stamps, including the Tapling Collection.