British Library investigating cyber attack, public access remains limited

A significant technology disruption has struck the British Library, affecting online services, public Wi-Fi on-site, and the library's website. The library, renowned for housing extensive collections of books from the UK and around the world, is actively investigating this issue.

Initially reported as a technical problem on Saturday, the library later disclosed that the UK's intelligence and cyber agency was assessing the situation. In their statement on Tuesday, they confirmed the cause as a cyber incident and announced their collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and cybersecurity experts in the ongoing investigation.




Despite the technology outage, the British Library remains open to the public. Reading rooms are accessible for personal study, and pre-October 26 orders are available for collection. There is also "very limited" access to books listed in their printed catalogues.

In a nod to their current exhibition, "Fantasy: Realms of Imagination," the library assured visitors that those with tickets for the exhibition would still be able to use them and purchase tickets onsite with cash.

With more than 170 million items in its collection, the British Library continues to serve its readers and visitors amidst the ongoing disruption.