British Library - Activism, algorithms and alternative facts

 

The British Library For facts as well as fiction

Breaking the News is now open Open until 21 August 2022 Members go free News is powerful. It takes an event and turns it into a story. Whether a celebration or a conflict, one moment can spring into our lives and leave an indelible mark. How do we decide which events are newsworthy? From reporting on the disastrous Great Fire of London to the sensationalism surrounding Jack the Ripper, even a social media spat between footballers’ wives can become an overnight sensation. But why? Go beyond the headlines to discover how a story grips us. Witness the reach of the news in our trailer. We’ve asked the questions. Join us to discover the answers. Supported by: Book now

Visit our exhibitions for free British Library Members get unlimited free entry to all our exhibitions and you can bring a friend along at no extra cost. Buy Membership at the Library on the day of your visit and get the price of your ticket refunded. Find out more

What are the highlights? A 16th-century pamphlet, a handkerchief and a smashed up computer weave together to form our curators’ favourite items. As an exhibition about the stories that have shaped us, speed through news from the last 500 years in our latest blog post. Read more

Events to challenge the way you think Beautiful News / Visualising Victorian News Tuesday 26 April, 19.15 At the Library David McCandless, the king of infographics, joins the leading information designers behind Visualising Victorian News to discuss how spectacular visuals can help to make sense of complex information and data. Book now Literature Matters: Marina Hyde and Armando Iannucci Tuesday 17 May, 19.00 Online Two celebrated writers respond to the ridiculousness of the news. Armando Iannucci and Marina Hyde take the stage to explore their shared love of satire, fiction, film, TV – and the need to laugh at the absurdity of it all. In partnership with the Royal Society of Literature. Book now