The British Library Recensioni 

Belligerent staff. In person and on the phone. I will not be back..

Please be aware when going to Brixton Library there two guys there of Mexican or maybe Bogota with slight Chinese features but not Chinese. They will approach you to say they are expecting money from a friend band that their card was lost. They will ask if you could divulge your bank details so that the person from their home country can send the money via your bank. The guy they were asking who sat quietly and listened looked at them and ask if he called the police maybe they can use the police's bank details when they turned up. The guy proceeded to dial on his phone pretending to call the police these guys quickly packed their bags and left. But they keep coming back so be warned.

When younRegister you have to do it in person (A day, £100 -200 miles for me). The helpfull seeming person tells you to wait for an email to confirm the Registration. Nothing comes. Try phoning - no reply, its a Saturday. Give up and travel home directly from Kew who were a darn sight more helpful.
At Registration they trumpet how wonderful it is that they print no paper but then they rely on word of mouth to share critical instructions erroneously. They decision to do that displays a lack of simple competance.

MICE in restaurant! Nothing else to say … no where to sit ..

My second very poor exhibition - first garden, today maps. Many maps not able to see, poorly curated, information thin and confusing. Two tickets £40: the book £35 and full of information . Was it appropriate for 8yr old class trip? No. Website difficult to use. Literally all, extensive available seating for café used by spreading laptop students. Was big fan of BL - will walk on by now.

The British Library is no longer the centre for research excellence it once was. It’s now hardly used because researchers and students are unable to access key materials.
It was a focal point for myself as an undergraduate ( and postgraduate). Whilst l appreciate the BL was subject to a cyber attack 2 years ago, so was M&S and other institutions. They have got their act together.
The BL is a tax funded institution which is currently failing researchers and students. This has a major impact on the world of business and academia.
So sad when you can access more information on an I phone 13! In addition, the small amount of users are subject to a vast amount of rules and regulations which are not conducive to a learning environment funded by the taxpayer.
Get your act together BL.

The British Library is super, amazing catalogue and reference section and great space to work. The cafe isn't perfect but is improving. Membership is reasonably priced and includes free access to events. If you want a space to work, it's definitely worth considering the British Library.

18 months after the Electronic Catalogue went down it is still bust. No info when it will be up again no progress report.

Ice cold reading rooms and quite nosy atmosphere in the first floor reading room, I'm wondering how anyone can concentrate specially today was too much!

Huge queues to replace reader tickets which, had the Library organised the replacement system properly in the first place, would have been totally unnecessary. No proper planning, no strategic thought,

Enjoyable guided tour, with an excellent guide, full of information and anecdotes.
Problem was the aweful cafe lunch, lukewarm soup and a toasted cheese sandwich probably toasted at breakfast time and kept warm- congealed cheese, most unpleasant. Instead buy your food at one of the many food outlets in the stations nearby and eat the food in the British Museum cafe spaces. Or bring your own.

It's hard to give a fair review given the IT issues but the bits that were available without a reader card or working reservation system were still worth a 3 out of 5. Next time I have free time in the capital I will try again and hopefully be able to improve the review score. If the IT system hadn't been down for so long already I wouldn't have factored it in.