The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries with a rich and diverse collection exceeding 150 million items representing every age of written civilisation. Books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, photographs, newspapers, sound recordings and now UK websites make up this vast and growing cultural heritage resource.
With millions of digitised and digital items held and counting, the role of the curator as custodian of an increasingly electronic collection continues to evolve. The sheer scale of these complex digital collections poses unique opportunities and challenges for cultural heritage staff and requires fresh skillsets and perspectives to ensure these resources are leveraged to their full potential. This presentation will explore some of the key shifts underway in traditional curatorial practice through the lens of the exciting work undertaken by the Digital Curator team at the British Library.
