Netflix Inc.

09/21/2026 | Press release | Archived content

Netflix Partners with the British Library to Champion the Stories Behind the Screen

  • New national partnership will support the British Library and local libraries across the UK.

  • Books behind popular films and series will be donated by Netflix to 100 libraries

  • Netflix and the British Library have launched a new series of talks, which began last night with Florence Pugh, Zoe Kazan, Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist discussing East of Eden.

Netflix and the British Library have today launched a new national partnership to help more people discover the books behind some of the world's most popular films and series. This comes as 2026 marks the National Year of Reading, a National Literacy Trust and Dept. for Education initiative, which aims to reverse the sharp decline in reading for pleasure across the UK.

While the National Literacy Trust's 2025 Annual Literacy Survey found that children's enjoyment of reading had fallen to its lowest recorded level, it also showed that books linked to favourite films and TV series can encourage reluctant readers. The same is true for adults, with Nielsen BookData finding that 12% of adult fiction bought by occasional readers was discovered through, or chosen because of, a film or television adaptation.

Alongside funding from Netflix to support the British Library's literary conservation and archives, this new partnership will see collections of books that have been adapted into Netflix films and series donated to 100 public libraries in the British Library's Living Knowledge Network across the UK.

Each participating library will receive a curated collection of books that have inspired Netflix films and series. The collection will help readers discover the stories behind popular titles including Frankenstein , Pride and Prejudice , Heartstopper , One Day , The Thursday Murder Club and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .

In addition to the donated collections, Netflix and the British Library will host a programme of events also streamed to libraries across the country, giving audiences the opportunity to hear more about how books are brought to the screen.

The programme has already included Q&As with the stars of Frankenstein, The Thursday Murder Club , and The Seven Dials Mystery . Last night, Florence Pugh, Zoe Kazan, Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist discussed the making of East of Eden, with the event streamed to libraries around the UK.

Members can search " Watch Your Favourite Books " on Netflix to find a collection of book adaptations on the service.

Screen adaptations such as these can also drive readers back to the original books. Following the release of Netflix's One Day, sales of David Nicholls' novel rose by 4,452% - from 3,216 copies in the 26 weeks before release to 143,193 in the 26 weeks after.

Anne Mensah, Vice President of Content, UK at Netflix said:

"Every great adaptation starts with a great story. We are proud to bring these stories to audiences all over the world, but we also know the experience does not have to end when the credits roll. "Books and screen adaptations can introduce audiences to different worlds, ideas and voices. Through our partnership with the British Library, we hope to help more people discover the books behind the shows and films they love, while supporting the public libraries that make reading accessible to communities across the country."

Helen Schulte, Head of Culture Programmes, at the British Library said:

''We are delighted to be partnering with Netflix. With this partnership we're helping to bring Netflix's exciting literary adaptations to new audiences across the UK via our Living Knowledge Network of public libraries. We're so grateful to Netflix for partnering with the Library and providing much needed philanthropic support for conservation, helping to preserve the treasures we care for as the UK's national library."

Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, said:

"Reading opens the door to new worlds, sparks imagination and creates memories that stay with us for a lifetime. This exciting partnership will help more children and families discover the stories behind the shows they love, and inspire them to pick up a book themselves. "That's why, as part of the National Year of Reading, we're encouraging everyone to Go All In and make time to read in the way that works for them, whether that's a comic, a blog or the novel behind a much-loved screen adaptation. "We're putting reading back on the agenda for families by building the foundations of literacy from day one and creating a library in every primary school, because everyone, whatever their age or background, should have the opportunity to experience the magic of reading for pleasure."
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