STC to ESTC, Past, Present, and Future

STC to ESTC, Past, Present, and Future is a one-day symposium at the British Library on Monday 16 November, marking the centenary of the first volume of A Short-Title Catalogue of Books Printed in England, Scotland and Ireland, and of English Books Printed Abroad 1475 - 1640 – known as the STC – which first came out in 1926. It's a day of talks and discussions on the history of those catalogues, their impact on library practice, and where the ESTC goes from here.

For context, the STC was later revised into a second edition of three volumes published between 1976 and 1991, and it lives on in its successor, the English Short-Title Catalogue (ESTC). Over the last century, both have become essential resources for librarians, scholars, and bibliographers. The ESTC's mission is to record every distinct letterpress item produced during the hand-press era in the British Isles, and that work has identified 500,000 distinct imprints held in more than 3 million copies worldwide. In 2025, the ESTC was re-launched as part of the Consortium of European Research Libraries' database ecosystem and is now co-managed by ESTC British Library and ESTC North America.

The day brings together talks and discussions on the history of the catalogues, their impact on library practice, and the future of the ESTC. It's held in the Eliot room, Knowledge Centre, British Library, London. Doors open at 9.30, and the session runs from 10.00 to 16.30. Entry is free, but you'll need to book your place.