The British Library

Throughout May 2007, Windows Live Hotmail is creating the first ever national archive of emails in conjunction with the British Library. The Email Britain book, recording a snapshot of British life by email, will be permanently archived for generations to come.

No public record of email has ever been compiled so to celebrate the launch of the new Windows Live Hotmail, Email Britain is going to put the record straight!

This competition has now ended -

THANKS FOR YOUR ENTRIES

We need your help to capture the good, the bad and the interesting of the email world. Weâve created ten categories to help us collect the best of British, so forward us your email now!

How to Get Involved

  1. Choose an email from your inbox or sent items which you want to forward for inclusion in the Email Britain archive
  2. Identify the category your email falls into from the list above
  3. Type the category heading for your email into the subject box before clicking send
  4. Get permission from third parties included in the email and copy them on the email which you submit
  5. Remove commercially sensitive and personal information from your email, including ALL surnames
  6. Check your email is no more than 2MB – we can’t accept anything bigger
  7. Read the full Terms and Conditions before sending your email
  8. Include your contact details in the email
  9. Explain the background to the email if it will help readers understand it better
  10. Forward your email to email@emailbritain.co.uk

Please do not send us emails of a defamatory nature. We reserve the right to omit unsuitable emails from the Email Britain archive.

Once your email has been submitted you will receive an automated response from us letting you know that we have received your Email Britain contribution.

The Categories

  1. Blunders - embarrassing revelations, a case of mistaken identity etc
  2. Life changers - job offers, marriage proposals etc

    example 1
    example 2
    example 3

  3. Complaints - public transport, poor customer service etc

    example 1

  4. Spam - the best (or worst) spam emails received

    example 1

  5. Love and romance - romantic emails which tugged at the heartstrings

    example 1

  6. Humorous emails - funny forwards, office banter, jokes etc

    example 1

  7. Everyday emails - exchanging recipes, organising nights out etc

    example 1
    example 2

  8. News - good and bad news, births, illness, accidents etc

    example 1

  9. World around you - emails/views on topical events, news from around the world etc
  10. Tales from abroad - long distance emails from far flung places

    example 1

Send this page to a friend