This story was published in 2000 and the exhibition is now closed

The sounds of some of the 20th century's greatest writers may have been lost for ever, if an appeal by the British Library fails to turn up examples of their voices.

Among the missing voices are George Orwell, Thomas Hardy, D H Lawrence and A E Housman, which the library had hoped to include in its new Chapter & Verse exhibition, opening on March 10. They were known to have recorded readings and interviews, but the recordings are missing.

The exhibition celebrated 1000 years of English literature, and the National Sound Archive, part of the British Library, has already found the voices of Virginia Woolf, W B Yeats, James Joyce and, with an unexpected discovery only in February, Samuel Beckett.

Toby Oakes, curator of literature and drama at the archive, said: "There is a magic in hearing authors reading their own work, or simply hearing their voices and discovering that they had such and such an accent and allowing that to reflect on the way we read their words.

"We hope that people who make amateur recordings or know people who did will trawl through their attics. The could be holding something that will enrich the nation's archive and be of great value to future generations".

The exhibition, which runs until October 15, is one of the largest organised by the British Library so far, and includes rare manuscripts, and fist editions. For more information ring 0171 412 7111 or click here.