UCL Library, Culture, Collections and Open Science

Two Centuries Here is a multi-space exhibition in the heart of central London, tracing @ucl.ac.uk’s origins and exploring 200 years of ground-breaking research, innovation, education and impact. Find out more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/about/events... #UCL200

Join us for a celebration of open science on 20 October, in memory of Paul Ayris, Pro-Vice Provost, LCCOS. Find out more and register here: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/... @uclopenscience.bsky.social

Part of #UCL200, Beyond the Book celebrates the passions of UCL students, in and outside of the classroom. See the portrait of rugby enthusiast Lucy Brooks (Human Neuroscience BSc) taken by Subject Liaison Librarian John Iona in Queen Square Library. www.ucl.ac.uk/lccos/ucl200...

The Land Carries drew to a close last month. It’s been a great collaborative group show by artists Ahmed Akasha, Dina Nur Satti and Yasmin Elnour showcasing the stories and lives of everyday people from ancient Sudan.

A new display across @ucl.ac.uk’s library and museum sites celebrates students’ passions in and outside of the classroom. See “Beyond the Book”, a series of photographic portraits taken by Institute of Education Subject Liaison Librarian John Iona. #UCL200

How do you manage your research data throughout its lifecycle? 📊 We have launched a new Research Data Management Library Guide and updated the UCL Data Management Plan template to help researchers at all levels plan, manage and share their data. ⤵️ #RDM #OpenScience #AcademicSky

Broken pots, figurines and amulets offered a rare glimpse into the lives and beliefs of ancient Egyptians. We hope you enjoyed our Broken, Burnt, Buried display.

Dr Paul Ayris (1957-2025) has been celebrated as one of 200 Faces of UCL for his work championing open science and making research, scholarship and learning freely accessible to all. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news... #UCL200

The School of Pharmacy Library and Archive were delighted to receive an autographed letter by Jacob Bell, a key figure in British pharmacy, kindly donated by Professor Darrin Baines. Read more here:

Two @ucllibraries.bsky.social staff and a partner of @uclspeccoll.bsky.social feature in the Faces of UCL campaign as part of the university’s bicentenary celebrations. #UCL200

Our specimens were showcased on the green carpet for the premiere of How to Live on Earth, a new feature documentary exploring humanity's relationship with the natural world. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-coll...

Congratulations to @uclpetriemuseum.bsky.social curator, Anna Garnett, who has been recognised for her work with a win in the Celebrating Education category of the UCL Education Awards! Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-coll...

UCL Copyright Officer, Christine Daoutis, has written a blog post about the recent news that a group of publishers, including Elsevier, have filed a lawsuit against Meta for copyright infringement. Have a read: buff.ly/wG8ToSK #Copyright #OpenAccess #AcademicPublishing

Guest speaker Helen Jury (@ucl.ac.uk Arts and Sciences) presented in the recent #IObjectWednesdays session about the handling of objects and materials in Art Psychotherapy as a distinctive psychotherapeutic intervention.

Richard Blair, son of author Eric Blair, better known as George Orwell, has been a committed guardian of Orwell’s public legacy, working with @uclspeccoll.bsky.social to preserve and promote his father’s collection. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/about/search... #UCL200 #FacesOfUCL

The recent ‘Transparent Journeys along the Silk Roads’ conference focused on the vital role of glass as an indicator of exchange, trade and movement along the Silk Roads. @uclpetriemuseum.bsky.social hosted sessions handling early Egyptian glass.

The Research Institute for Collections Annual Showcase recently showed research using a variety of @ucl.ac.uk collections. Guests were able to find out how using collections can enhance their research and potential projects.

Interested in finding out about collections? Join us at the upcoming Research Institute for Collections Annual Showcase on 14 May. www.eventbrite.com/e/research-i...

We are delighted to share that UCL Discovery, UCL's #openaccess repository, has surpassed 70 million downloads! 🎉 Read about this milestone in our latest blog post: buff.ly/8fqfyNN #OpenScience #ResearchDissemination @ucllccos.bsky.social

Congratulations and good luck to our colleagues who have been nominated at the upcoming annual Education Awards on 10 June. The event recognises and celebrates the achievements of staff and students, and their contributions to the @ucl.ac.uk community. www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-lea...

One week until this #LDNOpenFest26 session💡 Open Research: the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Perspective 🗓️Friday 24 April 🕑2-3:30pm 📍Online Discover how open research supports creative, non‑traditional outputs and hear about various initiatives in this area. Register: buff.ly/251ZKIH

We are excited to learn that this film by @royalsociety.org, featuring the Kathleen Lonsdale archives in @uclspeccoll.bsky.social, was recently nominated for a Webby Award by the Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Watch the video here:

Today, our library collection is made up of two million print books alone. Sarah Pipkin, Outreach and Exhibitions Coordinator for @uclspeccoll.bsky.social, discusses her work to shine a light on 200 years of collecting at @ucl.ac.uk. www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news...

We would like to wish you all a good Easter Break. Find out more about access to our venues and library services here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news/2026/mar/library-services-and-lccos-venues-during-easter-break-2026

Explore all things open science with a jam-packed week of insightful sessions from 20 – 24 April. Find out more about the London Open Science & Scholarship Festival programme of events here: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/open-access/2026/03/05/london-open-science-scholarship-festival-2026/

Last chance to see Amongst Visions celebrating the life and work of Slade School of Fine Art alumna Frances Jennings. Come along and view the display by PhD student and artist Holly Davey on 1 April. www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-coll...

Barbara Adams, former curator of the @uclpetriemuseum.bsky.social, features as one of 200 Faces of UCL as part of the university’s bicentenary celebrations. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-coll... #UCL200

We were honoured to gather to celebrate the life and work of Dr Paul Ayris, Pro-Vice Provost, @ucllccos.bsky.social, and UCL Press founder, and to mark the launch of his book Thomas Cranmer’s Register. Read more about the event and Paul’s extraordinary contributions: uclpress.co.uk/celebrating-...

Guest archivists and educators met with members of the Special Collections team in their recent event held at @ucl.ac.uk East. The showcase included a brief introduction and a small display of collection items including rare books and archives.

The @uclgrantmuseum.bsky.social has been shortlisted for Best Use of Digital in the 2026 @museumsandheritage.com Awards for its work on the World of Wasps exhibition. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-coll...

Join us on 26 March for a free lunchtime talk on the ongoing research examining DNA from Jeremy Bentham's Auto-Icon.

A new display in the Main Library explores the history of some of @ucl.ac.uk’s key collections, and the staff who developed them. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news... #UCL200

🔉 UCL staff and students - how are you feeling about copyright? UCL copyright team have a range of upcoming sessions to support you, refresh your knowledge and answer your questions 👩‍💻📝 Take a look and register 👉 buff.ly/a508cP4 (Image AI-generated from Microsoft Copilot)

Explore a selection of @ucl.ac.uk's incredible collection of rare books and archives at UCL East. Join us on 24 March:

To mark #UCL200, Georgina Brewis, Professor of Social History, and Dr Sam Blaxland, Lecturer in Education, have researched 200 years of student life in London to produce a new historical volume. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news...

How does research help shed new light on Jeremy Bentham's genetic data and the way his Auto-Icon was created? Come along to the upcoming talk on 26 March.

Words Matter drew to a close last month, showcasing the works of 12 artists who participated in a six-month knowledge exchange programme. The exhibition was part of Prejudice in Power, exploring @ucl.ac.uk’s historic role in promoting the pseudoscience of eugenics.

Come along to hear @lucyvandorp.bsky.social and I talk about our new Bentham research. Join us 26th March. @ucllccos.bsky.social @ugiatucl.bsky.social Old Relic, New Research: The Auto-Icon of Jeremy Bentham | Museums and Collections - UCL – University College London share.google/wCX3bm7V5RKI...

Come along to the upcoming Research in Focus talk with Dr Liz Bruchet illuminating mental health and disability in an art school archive. Join us on 18 March. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/research-i...

Dr Katie Meheux examines post-World War II reconciliation work achieved by librarians and archaeologists using materials from the @uclarchaeology.bsky.social archives. Come along to the talk on 11 March. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/insights-f...

200 years ago, UCL was founded on a radical idea: education for all. To mark our bicentenary, the Two Centuries Here Exhibition explores UCL’s past, present, and future across our Bloomsbury campus. The exhibition is open from 18 Feb 2026 to 31 July 2027. #UCL200

This year's theme for Women’s History Month is Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future, seeking to celebrate women's sustainability efforts. Share your book recommendations here. ucl-global.libwizard.com/f/WomensHist...

Call for applications! We are looking for a small press to take up a temporary residency at UCL! £5,000 to spend flexibly, an opportunity to work with outstanding collections & collaborate with brilliant students and staff! blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...

In celebration of LGBT+ History Month, students and staff across @ucl.ac.uk have shared their book recommendations with us. Find out more and read through the list here: www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news...

The entrance to the Main Library has now reopened following the completion of the bicentennial refurbishment works. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/library/news...

Visitors are invited to explore @ucl.ac.uk’s ground-breaking 200-year history through an expansive new exhibition hosted in multiple spaces across the Bloomsbury campus. Read more here: www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-coll... #UCL200

Nice obituary of @ucllccos.bsky.social Pro-Vice Provost Paul Ayris by our former colleague Ben Meunier www.theguardian.com/books/2026/f...

💜 Today, @ucl.ac.uk marks 200 years since its foundation. Throughout 2026, we will celebrate two centuries of learning and innovation and share those achievements with our global community. ➡️Discover our exciting #UCL200 programme of events and learn how you can get involved.

Today, UCL turns 200. 🎉 For two centuries, our community has opened doors, challenged convention and pushed the boundaries of knowledge across every discipline. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the UCL story, here’s to the next century. ✨ #UCL200 #LoveUCL