Good news! British Library is gradually resuming online services following a cyber attack

The British Library is gradually resuming online services following a cyber attack that occurred last year. The main catalogue, housing over 36 million records, is set to return in a "read-only" format on Monday, marking a significant step in the overall restoration process.

The library's website was down for nearly a month after the cyber attack on October 31, attributed to the Rhysida ransomware group. In November, the library confirmed that some employee data had been leaked during the attack.

The main catalogue, a vital resource for researchers worldwide, includes information on printed and rare books, journals, maps, and music scores. Chief Executive Sir Roly Keating acknowledged the challenges users faced in accessing these resources online and described the return of the main catalogue as the "single most visible impact" of the cyber attack.


While users can search for items in the read-only catalogue, functionalities such as checking availability and ordering for use in reading rooms will differ. Sir Roly emphasized that the full recovery of all services would be a gradual process.

Starting this week, readers will have access to most of the library's key special collections, including archives and manuscripts. However, to consult offline versions of specialist catalogues, readers will need to visit in person. Sir Roly acknowledged that the processes might be slower and more manual initially, but this marks a significant restoration of a core element of the library's public service.

Access to content at the library's Boston Spa site and certain parts of its digital collections that are currently unavailable will be restored in subsequent phases.

Addressing recovery costs, Sir Roly dismissed premature speculation, refuting estimates that suggested rebuilding the library's digital services could amount to £7 million. The library is expected to provide more information about the restoration process on Monday.