FAQs

Some email providers may automatically categorise these emails as spam. So it is worth checking spam or junk folders if you cannot see the email in your inbox.

If you still cannot find the email please contact support@unique-media.tv for assistance.

Yes, for the best viewing experience we recommend watching on a web browser. Please ensure you are using an up to date web browser such as Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Safari. For more information on this, see the ‘What are the web browser requirements?’ question below.

Yes, the event will open in a web browser on your mobile device or tablet. For the best viewing experience we recommend watching on a laptop or desktop computer, using an up to date browser. For more information on this see the ‘What are the web browser requirements?’ question below.

Yes, you can cast the event to your television using your laptop or mobile device, for an enhanced viewing experience. To do this you will require a casting device for your television (such as Chromecast) or a smart TV with built in casting capability.

To cast the event, open the link in your web browser (for Chromecast open the link in Google Chrome). Open the menu in the top right of the browser window and choose ‘Cast’ from the dropdown. The dropdown will offer you a list of potential Cast targets. Select your Chromecast device or Smart TV from the list. Your browser will begin cast immediately. If not, try switching the HDML channels using your television remote, until the browser appears. Use your laptop or mobile device to play/pause the event webpage, adjust volume, go full screen, or add subtitles (where available).

The majority of our events will have a 15-20 minute Q&A section towards the end. You can submit questions to speakers and panellists throughout the live event. To do this, use the Q&A form underneath the video player. Some of our events are pre-recorded, so you can’t ask questions in those.

Many of our events have related titles by speakers or panellists and occasionally events will be organised to celebrate the launch of a new book. You can visit the online shop by clicking on the ‘bookshop’ button in the top menu of the video player. This will open a new tab where you can purchase titles or browse the bookshop.

We sometimes have a limited number of signed copies available to purchase and new titles available to pre-order. You can visit our online shop here.

For more information during the event, click on ‘Event info’ button below the video player. The relevant page will open in a new tab. From this page you can also navigate to the What’s On section of our website and find out about upcoming events and exhibitions.

To read biographies of our speakers please click on the ‘Speakers’ button in the top menu bar of the video player or scroll down to the bottom of the page where individual speaker biographies and social media links are shown.

Yes, you can find social media links for our speakers by clicking on the ‘Speakers’ button in the top menu bar. We will also put social media links to our event partners underneath the video player.

You can also follow our Cultural Events team on Twitter: @eventsBL.

To submit feedback please click on the ‘Feedback’ button in the top menu bar and complete the form. Your feedback is really valuable to help us shape our new digital events programme.

You can donate using the ‘Donate’ button in the top menu bar. The British Library is a charity. Your support helps us open up a world of knowledge and inspiration for everyone

Don’t worry! If you’re late to join an event you can use the video controls to scroll back to the start. Hover your mouse over the bottom of the video player, a red ‘seek bar’ will appear showing the time elapsed. Drag the red circle back to the start of the video or 00:00. A thumbnail preview will also appear above the red ‘seek bar’ allowing you to navigate to a particular point in the event. Remember though, you’ll only be able to ask questions if you’re watching live.

Yes, you can watch events ‘on demand’ for 48 hours after the event start time. Click on the link that was emailed to you on the day of the event and press play on the video player.

Please note there may be a slight delay directly after the live event ends while our digital production team prepare the ‘catch up’ video. If you are unable to watch the video please wait for a few moments and then refresh the page.

Yes, our events are available to everyone around the world, all you require is an internet connection and an up to date web browser. All attendees need to book a ticket using our website.

Please note our events are listed in British Standard Time

Yes, the majority of our digital events will eventually be available to view on the BL Player where we showcase previous events and podcasts.

Events are usually uploaded within one month of being broadcast live. Occasionally it is not possible to make the recording available.

The BL Player also houses recordings of events that have taken place in our physical spaces.

For the best viewing experience please ensure you are using an up to date web browser such as Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Safari. All of these browsers can be downloaded for free online.

A selection of our events are live captioned during the broadcast. To access the captioned version of the event simply click on the ‘Enable live subtitles’ button just beneath the video player box. The page will then reload and captions will be visible at the bottom of the video screen. You may have to click play on the bottom right to start the video.

Unfortunately, if there is no ‘Enable live subtitle’ button visible then captions are not available for that particular live event.

However, all videos on the BL Player have captions available. To access captions, press play on the selected video and the YouTube menu bar will appear at the bottom of the video player. Simply click on the ‘subtitles/closed captions’ button on the right section of the menu. Captions will appear at the bottom of the screen once the video is playing.

The majority of our digital events will be uploaded to the BL Player to view for free, events are usually available one month after the live broadcast.

Make sure you are tuned in at the right time. We recommend clicking the link to join 5-10 minutes before the start time. Before the event you will see a holding graphic with our logo and details of the event.

Check your video is not paused. Hover your mouse over the bottom the left video player and the video controls will display. Click the play button as needed.

Try refreshing your browser to reload the video feed. The volume may switch to zero after you have refreshed; make sure to check the volume is turned up on the video player after you have refreshed the page.

Check your internet connection is working and your Wi-Fi has a good signal.

If you continue to experience issues, we also recommend completing a ‘hard refresh’ by holding the CTRL and F5 keys while on the web browser.

For any other technical issues please email support@unique-media.tv.

Make sure you are using one of our recommended browsers for the best viewing experience.

Check your volume is turned up on the video player. Hover your mouse over the bottom of the video player and the video controls will display – turn up the volume control as needed (bottom right).

Try refreshing your browser to reload the video feed, the volume may switch to zero after you have refreshed. Make sure to check the volume is turned up on the video player after you have refreshed the page.

Check your internet connection is working and your Wi-Fi has a good signal.

For any other technical issues please email support@unique-media.tv.