Netflix, British Library team up to bring viewers back to books behind screen favourites
Netflix has partnered with the British Library to help audiences discover the books behind some of the world’s most popular films and series.
The new national partnership, which will also involve public libraries across the UK, comes as 2026 marks the National Year of Reading, an initiative aimed at encouraging reading and addressing the decline in reading for pleasure across the country.
As part of the collaboration, Netflix will provide funding to support the British Library’s literary conservation and archive work. The partnership will also see collections of books adapted into Netflix films and series donated to 100 public libraries across the UK.
The donated collections will include titles such as “Frankenstein”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Heartstopper”, “One Day”, “The Thursday Murder Club” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”.
Alongside the book donations, Netflix and the British Library will organise a series of events exploring how literary works are adapted for the screen. The events will be streamed to libraries across the country.
The programme has already featured discussions with the cast and creators of “Frankenstein”, “The Thursday Murder Club” and “The Seven Dials Mystery”. On Monday, Florence Pugh, Zoe Kazan, Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist took part in a discussion about the making of “East of Eden”.
“Every great adaptation starts with a great story,” said Anne Mensah, Netflix’s Vice President of Content, UK. “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.”
The partnership comes amid concerns over declining reading habits in the UK. The National Literacy Trust’s 2025 Annual Literacy Survey found that children’s enjoyment of reading had reached its lowest recorded level. However, the survey also showed that books connected to popular films and television series can encourage reluctant readers.
British Library Head of Culture Programmes Helen Schulte welcomed the partnership, saying it would help bring Netflix’s literary adaptations to new audiences through the organisation’s network of public libraries.
She also thanked Netflix for providing support for conservation efforts to preserve collections held by the UK’s national library.
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