British Library Research Report 2016-17

Abstract

• The British Library has always been a place where research happens. Academics, students and independent researchers alike use our Reading Rooms to undertake detailed study on topics from every disciplinary area, reflecting the national and international collections we care for. More recently, our users have been able to access an increasing body of digitised content, onsite and online, to enable efficient access and support new methodologies. Yet, we are more than simply a provider of sources for research. Our organisation takes an active role in research, nationally and internationally, as an important contributor to intellectual exchange and understanding. We are proud to count many scholarly experts amongst our staff, experts who themselves generate new knowledge through the research that they do both as research leaders and as collaborators. The Library’s role as Independent Research Organisation is central to its vision to make our intellectual heritage accessible to everyone. We partner with academia, industry and many other sectors to enrich scholarly understanding, develop new insights, support research capacity and training, and deliver new digital research resources and services. Our cultural programmes, exhibitions, community projects and learning activities engage and involve wider audiences – in person and online – with this research. This synergy is fundamental to our role in the global narrative that underpins the world’s knowledge.