The Olympics and the British Library

On a way back from a trip to the Olympic Stadium yesterday (note incongruous welcome sign above, viewed through electrified fencing and razor wire, with the picture taken shortly after my friend and colleague JP was chased away by a security guard!) I popped into the British Library. Whilst I am a Reader there and do occasionally visit other exhibitions, I had not visited the Treasures of the British Library exhibition before. It is a superb and wide ranging collection with lots of really interesting and important material. Lots of it was topical for me, I had been talking with my third year entertainment law students on the Wednesday on the links between technology and copyright law and the section on early printing was illuminating, also Haydn's music publishing contract from 1796 is currently on display - its a lot different to the ones we look at now its fair to say. Obviously the Magna Carta and early versions of the bible or Shakespeare's portfolio get a higher billing but there are some great treasures in there and its well worth a look. Its free, and open to all, all week. While I am talking of the British Library, I should also flag up their excellent Sport and Society site, of course I also have to declare a vested interest as Mark James and I have contributed a piece Consuming the Olympics to this site, and almost seamlessly, the British Library links back to this very blog!