April at the Library

Your news for April [View Online]( [News]( [What's On]( [Business]( [Research]( [Learning]( [Shop]( [Support Us]( Dear {NAME} The clocks have changed. The bad way. But it’s alright: now is the time we can really start feeling like it’s spring. You’ll be far from sluggish when you see what the British Library has to offer this month. Whether you’re hungry for a culinary adventure or simply wild about the sound of musical birds chirping in the trees, take the time and immerse yourself in our captivating collection. Here comes the sun… Our news [Take shape]( [Take shape]( Writing is something we take for granted. Have you ever stopped to think about where it all began? Our new exhibition tells the story of how humankind’s great achievement blossomed into so many different forms. Everything, from hieroglyphs to emojis. [Write here, write now >]( [Renew]( [Renew]( Everyone knows we have old stuff. We love the old stuff. And we also love the new things that people do with it every day. Artist Michael Takeo Magruder has transformed some of our 19th-century maps, using cutting-edge digital technologies, to create spectacular fictional cityscapes. Explore these new avenues in our free exhibition. [Lose yourself >]( Five-minute digests [‘Blow the cobwebs away’]( ‘Blow the cobwebs away’ Whether your preferred tool of choice is a duster or a Dyson, put a spring in your step and get your cleaning on track. Be inspired by the beautiful illustrations of families cleaning their immaculate homes – hidden in plain sight within our collection of digitised Hebrew illuminated manuscripts. [Spotless scenes >]( [One a penny]( One a penny You may usually spend your Easter weekend eating them, but it turns out you should have been tying one to the ceiling: there’s more to hot cross buns than you might think. [Bake >]( [Blooming marvellous ]( Blooming marvellous Why follow the latest gardening trends when you can spruce up your plots à la 1577? For many reasons, we imagine, not least because mazes are less practical for modern gardens, but allow us to still show you this popular little manual for Elizabethan gardeners. [What on earth >]( [Songs from a hawthorn bush]( Songs from a hawthorn bush The European Blackbird is a bird of many talents. Despite having a splendid song, the male bird uses mimicry to improve his chance of mating. It doesn’t hurt to have a few tricks under your wing. [Sound cloud >]( [Calling all budding food entrepreneurs]( [Calling all budding food entrepreneurs]( From kitchen table to supermarket shelf, hear how some of the UK’s most successful food and drink brands, including Eat Natural and Riverford, grew their businesses at Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Recipes for Success. [Big ambition >]( [Every ending has a new beginning]( [Every ending has a new beginning]( Following his exile from Germany, Frederick Delius embraced the opportunity to experience new music in England. He wrote the evocatively-titled ‘Late Swallows’ in spring 1916. Hear how Professor Daniel Grimley (University of Oxford) gave it a new lease of life from its original manuscript. [Songbird >]( [ A little green?]( [A little green?]( If you want to learn a new skill or get more experience, one of our new season courses could be for you. Move beyond Latin type, master the art of lettering, get to grips with Greek and much more. [Grow >]( Gift ideas from our Shop [Peonies & Pomegranates: Botanic Illustrations from Asia]( [Peonies and Pomegranates: Botanic Illustrations from Asia]( [£14.99]( [Buy now >]( [Pearl Oyster Mushroom Kitchen Garden]( [Pearl Oyster Mushroom Kitchen Garden]( [£24]( [Buy now >]( [ Natural History Postcard Pack]( [Natural History Postcard Pack]( [£8]( [Buy now >]( [Mustard Wool Blanket]( [Mustard Wool Blanket]( [£78]( [Buy now >]( [Browse our shop >]( We suggest... ‘It started as long as I can remember’ Listen to Sir David Attenborough talk about his early love of natural history in this 1984 clip from the sound archive. [Rewind >]( Food for thought A pinch of this. A dash of that. How do you tell the story of a recipe? Nigella Lawson, Ella Risbridger and Bee Wilson discuss how a recipe can flower into something so much than a set of instructions in our latest Library live stream. [Hungry? >]( From our friends Corita Kent: Power Up House of Illustration, until 12 May. See the UK’s biggest ever exhibition of work by Corita Kent: Pop Art pioneer, typographic trailblazer, anti-war activist… and nun. [Find out more >]( [Listen to the birds and discover why they make their beautiful songs and calls]( Enjoyed this newsletter? Want to tell your friends? Share your e-newsletter via email or the social channels below, or you can always [tell us what you think ›](mailto:e-marketing@bl.uk?subject=Feedback%20from%20the%20British%20Library%20News) © 2019 British Library. 96 Euston Road, London. NW1 2DB. [View our privacy statement]( [View Online]( / [Unsubscribe](