1. “Welcome to Boston Spa”
The British Library
“Welcome to Boston Spa”
Samantha Tillett – Head of Business Development, Partnerships and Licensing
Richard Ebdon – Business Development Manager

3. Programme Introductions & welcome
Background & history of the British Library
Boston Spa site
Living Knowledge
On Demand
EHESS
Imaging Services
Conclusions

4. Who do you think we are?

5. Oldest National Libraries
National Library of the Czech Republic 1366
National Library of Austria 1368
Marciana National Library 1468
National Library of France 1480
National Library of Malta 1555

6. St Pancras Building
November 1997, and is now a Grade I listed building
Sir Colin St John Wilson, devoted 37 years of his career to its design and construction
Developing into the British Library’s campus St Pancras

7. Celebrating 50 years at Boston Spa: The site
18 May 1940
Construction starts on the 450 acre site of the Royal Ordinance Factory at Thorp Arch at a total cost of £5.9 million
October 1942
The factory is in full production employing 10,000 workers served by 4 factory stations and a circular railway comprising some 25 miles of track
April 1958
Production ceases, the railway is sold for scrap and the site put up for sale. Donald Urquhart accepts c.60 acres on the site of the old locomotive sheds and engineering works on behalf of the National Lending Library for Science and Technology

8. Boston Spa Site Development

9. Boston Spa site (1961 – 1990s)
Formerly National Lending Library and then Document Supply Centre
Boston Spa site c1960 – National Lending Library
1975 The Urquhart Building (108km)
Print storage
Catalogue and description
Inter lending loan/photocopy service
Supporting London Reading Room
Daily deliveries

10. Boston Spa site (1990s onwards)
Rise of digital and alternative research methods
Declining traditional document supply
Mass digitisation
Back office functions
High density print storage
Digital storage and replication
Alternative access models
2014 Newspaper Storage Building (40km)
2010 Additional Storage Building (260km)

11. Visualisation of Boston Spa site following development

12. Your feedback!