31st October marks the first anniversary of the cyberattack on the British Library.
Ive been a reader since 1984 so this is my 40th anniversary and I do possess a post March 2024 readers ticket.
The impact was devastating for researchers not just in the UK but globally. For the first few months I looked at the New Musical Express, which the BL has a complete print copy run of in Humanities 2 on open access. For recent social history its a useful tool and also lots of stuff on E P Thompson!
Eventually on site ordering was restored via paper slips just like the days of the old Round Reading Room. In the last few weeks remote ordering is available again albeit the on-line form is not exactly the easy to use previous on-line system.
The hard work of Library staff needs to be recognised and there is still a way to go to restore access in anything like full. There are still working PCs in the Library- you bring your own device.
Beyond all that this is the National Library and the Government, even the new one, has done nothing or next to nothing to sort the situation out. A reflection of where we are in Britain in 2024
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