The British Library is custodian of one of the greatest research collections in the world. This article gives an overview of the British Library's strategic direction for collection development and considers some of the most significant changes in its approach since 2000. The two reviews of collection development strategy at the British Library – the first undertaken in 2005–6 and the second in 2010–11 – are described. The author assesses the significance of: the extension of UK legal deposit law to cover digital publications; web archiving; and heritage acquisitions policy.
