The British Library adds more than 3,000,000 books a year.
It probably has more books than the American Library of Congress It certainly started collecting before them.
The British library (by Law) has to keep a copy of every book published in English. Whatever the country.
They all find their way into their four huge underground depositorys around the UK.
One of the biggest ones is at, Euston London. Which it is being expanded at the moment.
The collection is Computerised....while the older books are progressively digitised, the shelves are so huge they move
around on minature Railway lines. Auto-collect your book and deliver it to you in its own plastic box. An amazing experience.
I am writing this because ....you were always able to have virtually any book in the world downloaded to
your home Computer to study, for a small fee.
But just recently You are able to download and read on the fly, some of the oldest and rarest books in the World--for FREE
Right now.
Various Formats are catered for...all downloads are free.
Goto:-BRITISH LIBRARY ONLINE GALLERY, and look at an assortment of Books.
Including the Oldest printed book in the world (Chinese)
Leonardo's notebook, even Cuniform writings.
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/ttpbooks.htmlAll in colour and Zoom-able. They will also send to your computer, any ancient/book for a small fee, if you contact them.
Note....Chinese and Jewish Books open left to right
Have an interesting read over Xmas.
