The British Library, home to 13.5 million books, recently hosted BookTok Late in collaboration with TikTok, marking a significant step in bridging traditional literary institutions with the digital age. The event, described as the "world's biggest book club," drew influencers, authors, and publishing professionals to celebrate the BookTok community, which has amassed over 370 billion views globally.
Inside the Event: A Fusion of Digital and Physical
Upon entry, guests were greeted by huge banners and a vibrant atmosphere. Influencers set up tripods and lighting, speaking excitedly to their cameras, while HarperCollins streamed on TikTok Live to hand-sell books. A TikTok spokesperson explained that the approach was interactive and adaptive, allowing publishers to pivot in real time based on viewer comments.
Authors and publishing professionals mingled in a VIP area, with totes filled with viral TikTok books. Lucy Rose, author of the folk horror sensation The Lamb, prepared for a panel on being an author on BookTok, while culture journalist Jess Bacon readied for a live reading of her recently released book I'm Just a Girl.
Authors Embrace Digital Communities
Speaking with The Mirror, both authors expressed delight at the celebration of digital reading communities. They described becoming "digital friends" through social media. Sunday Times best-selling author Lucy Rose noted, "There is really a space for everybody" on BookTok. "It's become so much more than just a comfort for people. It's become a real source of friendship and a sense of belonging and community, when we feel very disconnected from each other."
Rose added, "I couldn't have done my publication journey without it." Her publisher, Weidenfeld & Nicolson (W&N), understood TikTok's importance for marketing her debut novel, making "an enormous difference," as "traditional marketing can only reach so many people… [TikTok] can be absolutely life-changing."
The Surreal Experience of Going Viral
Rose described seeing readers discuss The Lamb on TikTok as surreal: "It felt like turning on television, and seeing myself in the Big Brother house. You're just in your room, writing your books and then suddenly there's somebody you've never met or seen, and they're talking about your writing."
Jess Bacon, whose feminist text I'm Just a Girl was released last month, shared similar sentiments: "I'm in the middle of a book tour, and it's been the most phenomenal fulfilment of a teenage dream. It's really surreal to be tagged in stories and people are reading your books in parks or on the tube… they've highlighted a line that you've written."
Bridging Traditional Institutions and Digital Trends
Bacon highlighted the joy on BookTok, comparing it to the camaraderie at Harry Styles concerts or Taylor Swift's Eras Tour: "Women are having fun, but also being criticised for it. Women really want to connect with that very joyful, playful, wild, feral side of themselves." She noted that BookTok brings together strangers who might not otherwise meet.
The fact that the British Library hosted the event was welcomed by both authors. Bacon explained, "Anybody who has a phone can find BookTok… sometimes we can see traditional institutions in conflict with something like BookTok. But in order for the industry to survive, we need to merge both." She hopes the event will encourage BookTokkers to "make places like the British Library more everyday" instead of a "tourist attraction."
Library and TikTok Leadership Weigh In
Helen Schulte, Head of Culture Programmes for the British Library, said: "Seeing the Library filled with music, lively conversation and so many passionate book lovers was a wonderful reminder of how a love of reading brings people together. We hope it marks the beginning of a whole new audience finding their way to the Library and everything it has to offer."
TikTok UK’s Head of Operations Dominic Burns celebrated the new "revolution" in reading: "BookTok Late at the British Library proved that what started as a digital community has transformed into a real-world literary revolution… BookTok is shaping the future of reading culture, and together, we are helping drive that momentum forward."
