Publishing
About British Library Publishing
British Library Publishing produces fascinating and beautiful books across a wide range of subjects related to the Library’s uniquely rich collections, including maps, medieval manuscripts, literary history, graphic design and typography, the history of books and cultural history. We publish accessible and affordable books to enhance our popular exhibition programme, as well as classic crime fiction and innovative gift titles that showcase quirky, humorous and unexpected treasures from our collections. Our books are generously illustrated and we take pride in our high design and production values.
We also publish titles that make major contributions to scholarly debate, principally in the fields of bibliography, book history and manuscript studies, as well as a range of audio CDs based on the Library’s collection of recorded sound. Our publications are sold around the world and make a significant contribution to the Library’s international reputation, as well as garnering positive reviews and generating revenue that supports the Library’s work.
Recent highlights
See our latest catalogues
Publishing catalogue - Spring 2014 - PDF format 1.62 MB
Contact us
Guidelines for authors
We publish up to 40 non-fiction books a year in subjects broadly relating to the collections of the British Library, including the history of the book, medieval manuscripts, literary history, bibliography, cartography and history. We do not publish new fiction for adults or children, drama, poetry, autobiographies or memoirs. We welcome submissions from potential new authors in subject areas relevant to our publishing programme. Submissions should be sent by email to the Editorial Department (publishing_editorial@bl.uk), and should consist of a two-page synopsis with a covering letter describing the nature of your project, your relevant experience/qualifications, and the target readership.
