@britishlibrary

Today marks , so we’re revisiting @businessandipcentre’s from last October where BIPC Ambassador and Entrepreneur in Residence @julie_deane, founder of @camsatchelco and @mindcharity gave some great advice to keep your mental health in check. ⁣ ⁣ Although the day was aimed at entrepreneurs, many of the tips apply to everyday life (especially with many of us still working remotely) and covers topics such as prioritisation, self-worth and to-do lists, and how building an effective structure, even when you are working for yourself (and often by yourself), can be beneficial to mental health.⁣ ⁣ You can watch the full How to build your business without burning yourself out talk on the BIPC’s YouTube channel (BIPCTV), but here are some of our key takeaways:⁣ ⁣ 🍽️ Add structure, i.e. take a lunch break even if you are by yourself at home⁣ ⁣ 💻 It's admittedly tricky to leave work at work when your office is your home, but try setting boundaries⁣ ⁣ 💤 Eat, sleep and exercise, it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality⁣ ⁣ 🎉 Celebrate little wins⁣ ⁣ ⚡ Rethink rejection⁣ ⁣ 👨 Add YOU to the to-do list⁣ ⁣ ✅ Have a Wellbeing Action Plan - if you are your own boss, you have to have one for yourself as your 'employee'.⁣ ⁣ If you are interested in finding out more about how the BIPC can help you start your own business, stay tuned to find out more about this year’s Start-up Day⁣ ⁣

The Whooper Swan's call is actually a distinctive honk 📯 In a few weeks' time our estuaries and wetlands will begin to see the arrival of large flocks of swans and geese. Travelling from breeding grounds in Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland and Siberia, these highly vocal birds often congregate together in mixed flocks and, though not as pretty as the dawn chorus, create a seasonal soundscape that will continue throughout winter. 🔊 Sound recording by Richard Ridgway, 1979. Shelf mark WS1733 C6

Inspire the next generation of brilliant poets with @josephcoelhoauthor's tips for creating their own pieces. Head to our website to watch the full video (link in bio ⬆️) Send your children’s perfect poetry creations to us using the hashtag – or email them to childrens.books@bl.uk 😊

We know this is a difficult time for small businesses and business owners. That’s why @businessandipcentre has developed a dedicated programme to support SMEs across the country, all of which can be accessed remotely, wherever you are.⁣ ⁣ Open to all business owners, especially those in the first years of trading, our Reset. Restart programme is here to help you transform, future-proof or grow your business through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Join one or more of our series of ten monthly webinars for practical, jargon-free training and advice; network with other entrepreneurs and receive further tailored support from your local BIPC, in London or across our National Network.⁣ ⁣ From product and service innovation and marketing to finance and new business models, BIPC’s monthly webinars cover ten topics to help you figure out the best way to transform or recalibrate your business. Visit bl.uk/events/reset-restart to find out more and book your place.

We’re delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2021 Eccles Centre & Hay Festival Writer’s Award. The six-strong list features writers from across the globe and showcases world-class storytelling in both English and Spanish.⁣⁣ ⁣ *Drumroll* ⁣⁣🥁 ⁣ The shortlist: ⁣⁣ Andrés Barba ⁣⁣ Doreen Cunningham ⁣⁣ Lina Meruane⁣⁣ Pola Oloixarac ⁣⁣ JS Tennant ⁣⁣ Imaobong Umoren⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ We can’t wait to tell you more about their projects. Get a sneak peek - link in bio ⬆️

📢 We’re calling on primary schools to inspire the next generation of writers. Create your own pop-up poetry notebooks to help you see the world like a poet! Follow our step-by-step video and post pics of your notebooks on social media using the hashtag – or email them to childrens.books@bl.uk

Is there a line or a verse from a poem that you love? ❤️ For and to mark the start of Black History Month, we’re highlighting some of our favourite quotes from black poets who feature in our collections. Poem credits: 📖 Excerpt from ‘On Imagination’ by Phillis Wheatley 📖 Excerpt from ‘Saltfish’ by @malika.booker 📖 Excerpt from ‘ROOTS RUNNIN II’ by @khadijah.ibrahiim 📖 Excerpt from ‘Reggae Fi May Ayim’ by Linton Kwesi Johnson

Happy ! 📜 ⁣ October also marks the start of Black History Month so today we’re showcasing some of the remarkable poetry in our collection written by black men and women. ⁣ ⁣ We’re proud to hold typescript drafts of some of Grace Nichols’ poems in our collection, including ‘Granny Granny Please Comb My Hair’.⁣ ⁣ Nichols’ poems are written in a combination of Guyanese Creole and standard English. She’s especially interested in the musical quality and rhythm of language and writes her poetry to be read aloud. “As long as you get the rhythm right, the poem works,” she says.⁣ ⁣ You can view this and other Nichols poems in our online collection (⬆️ link in bio)⁣ ⁣ Copyright: © Grace Nichols.⁣ ⁣ ⁣

The fight for women’s rights is unfinished business. Where do you think it will go next?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Celebrating our major new exhibition Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women’s Rights, six leading voices tell us the one thing they would change to make the world a fairer place for women 💬⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Add your own voice to this debate when the exhibition opens on 23 October. Book tickets now (⬆️ link in bio)⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Did you know that we hold an exclusive @thesubways demo CD in our ? It was digitised and preserved by our project and is part of our New Bands Competition collection (C1238). Listen to all four tracks and read about the band’s competition winning demo from 2004 (link in bio ⬆️). 📸: https://www.stunphoto.co.uk/ 🎧: (p) 2006 The Echo Label Limited (a BMG company). Ref. C1238/2540

Take a closer look at the world 🌍 The British Library is home to about 100 globes, dating from 1600 to the present day. You can see a selection of these fascinating cartographical artifacts for free - book your ticket to visit our 'Treasures of the British Library' gallery today (link in bio ⬆️)

🔊 Sound on: Who's up for hibernating? Today marks the , when our evenings begin to draw-in, and animals prepare to hole-up for the winter. Prickle up your ears for a surprising insight into the sound a hedgehog makes! 🔊 Sound Archive recording: W1CDR0001374 BD1, 1960s 🦔 Illustration by Mazell P Brown, 459.g.1