The London Library Team

The London Library 183rd Annual General Meeting 2024

2024-11-27T15:40:28+00:00

::cck::1120::/cck::
::introtext::

The London Library 183rd Annual General Meeting 2024

The Library’s 183rd Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday 26 November. We were delighted to see a full Reading Room and many more joined us online – a record attendance for recent years.

Simon Godwin introduced his first AGM as Chair of The London Library and reports were given by Director, Philip Marshall and Treasurer, Philip Broadley, including news that:

· Membership grew for a sixth consecutive year and has the highest number since 2008

· The Library’s finances produced a small operating surplus

· Over 4,000 new books were added to the collection and almost 64,000 books were loaned.

This year there were two additional agenda items. Firstly, Matthew Brooke, Director of Collections and Services updated the AGM on acquisitions and collections.

Philip Marshall then presented on the Library’s proposed building changes. Following this there was a discussion with members, particularly in relation to Phase 2, with a range of comments raised from members. The Trustees were glad to hear from members and the discussion will inform their thinking for future plans of the Library.

Philip Broadley and Isabelle Dupuy retired as Trustees. The Library is grateful for the hard work, insight and commitment that Philip and Isabelle have each brought to the role over the last eight years.

Please view their speech notes here.

Chair’s Speech Notes

Director’s Speech Notes

Director of Collections and Library Services Speech Notes

Treasurer’s Speech Notes

New Trustees elected were Anni Domingo, Paul Gismondi, Charles Spicer and Stephen Whitaker.

The 2023-2024 Annual Reports and Accounts were adopted, and the Trustees' proposals for membership fees, subscriptions and charges were confirmed.

Retirement and Election of Trustees

The following Trustees retired at the 2024 Annual General Meeting: Philip Broadley and Isabelle Dupuy.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied, John Colenutt, Patrick Fleming, Stephanie Hall and Stephen Withnell were approved for a second (and final) term of trusteeship.

The following members were put forward for election and approved as Trustees:

Anni Domingo (member since April 2024) Anni is an actress, director, lecturer and award-winning writer who works in radio, TV, films and theatre. Her first screenplay Blessed Assurance is out later this year and an extract from her debut novel Breaking the Maafa Chain features in The New Daughters of Africa anthology. She is currently working on Ominira, her second novel as part of her PhD. Her trustee and governance experience includes being a member of the Sheffield Theatres Trustees Board, a Governor on Rose Bruford College’s Board of Governors and Chair of the Theatre Peckham’s Board of Trustees.

Paul Gismondi (member since January 2023) Reverend Gismondi is Priest in Charge of All Hallows on the Wall. He was ordained at St Paul’s Cathedral in 2016 and from 2020- 2024, he was Domestic Chaplain in Ordinary to the Marquess of Salisbury, having previously ministered at Holy Trinity Sloane Square and the Sandringham Benefice in Norfolk. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his first career began on Wall Street, at The Bank of New York and then at Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company. Posted to the UK in 1985, he spent 24 years as a partner at Lazard & Co and also served on the boards of several publicly listed companies. A longtime Fellow of the Morgan Library in New York, and former trustee of LAMDA, he is currently a trustee of The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation, along with two other charitable trusts.

Charles Spicer (member since June 2012) Charles has served on the Library’s Buildings & Facilities Committee since 2018 as a Co-optee. Following a career in the City specialising in the medical sector, Charles now splits his time between writing, business and the third sector. A warden of the Fishmongers’ Company, he is also Deputy Chair of the Royal Humane Society and served as High Sheriff of Greater London in 2019 and as a school governor in both the state and private sectors for 20 years. Charles is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His first book, Coffee with Hitler: The British Amateurs Who Tried to Civilise the Nazis was published in 2022 and he is working on his next.

Steven Whitaker (member since June 2021) Steven is currently studying for a part-time MA in ‘Shakespeare Studies’. He is Chief Operating Officer of Equistone, a European Private Equity firm, where he has been a Partner since joining in 2016. Prior to that, he worked at two other international Private Equity companies in London and Frankfurt. He has represented the industry at senior level, including at the House of Lords during his tenure as Tax Committee Chairman of the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association. Steven started his career in finance at KPMG, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1995. He later joined the Guild of Chartered Accountants and now chairs its Livery Committee.

Appointment of auditors

The Trustees proposed the re-appointment of MHA MacIntyre Hudson as the Library’s Auditors for the financial year 2024-2025. The re-appointment was confirmed.

Membership fees from 1 January 2025

The Trustees therefore proposed the following membership fees for the year commencing January 2025, which were approved at the AGM.

An increase to ordinary membership paid by annual Direct Debit, of 1.8% to £575 per annum, saving members £60 on the cost of membership by other methods. Full membership by other payment methods will increase by 3.3%, to £635 (£52.92 monthly). These increases have been carefully considered in light of the prevailing rate of inflation and the cost pressures we know members are currently facing. The changes to fees for all membership types are given below. All individual membership types receive a discounted rate when paid by annual Direct Debit. With regard to Life Membership, it was proposed to split the existing 75-79 age band into two with a reduced fee for those in the older age bracket. It was also proposed to increase the fee for the over 80s from £1,500 to £1,600 whilst all other bands increase by 1.8%.

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

The London Library bookshop

2024-08-22T15:08:18+00:00

We are delighted to present a curated selection of new books by Library members, which can now be purchased at The London Library bookshop.

Many of these books have been written and researched in The London Library. The broad selection showcases books from fiction, history, our much-loved Science & Miscellaneous section, and our Emerging Writers Programme alumni, demonstrating the extensive resources available for Library members.

If you have a book you'd like to see featured in our bookshop, please get in touch with us at newbooks@londonlibrary.co.uk

Browse The London Library bookshop

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

The London Library Capital Campaign: Building Connections

2024-05-06T22:31:18+00:00

::cck::1088::/cck::
::introtext::

We are delighted to present our proposed building improvement plans for The London Library.

Click the link below to find out more, share feedback and learn how you can get involved in The London Library Capital Campaign: Building Connections.

Find out more →

Phase One

Our Phase One building works commence this summer and will be complete at the end of December 2025.

Please click the link below for more details about the works followed by the dates when members may experience potential disruptions.

Check for Phase One building works →

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

The London Library 182nd Annual General Meeting 2023

2023-11-15T09:58:36+00:00

::cck::1063::/cck::
::introtext::

The London Library 182nd Annual General Meeting 2023

Retirement and Election of Trustees

The following Trustees retired at the 2023 Annual General Meeting: Howard Davies, Will Harris, Giles Milton, Rick Stroud.

ALAIN AUBRY was approved for a second (and final) term of trusteeship.

The following Members were put forward for election and approved as Trustees:

SIMON GODWIN has been a Library member for 14 years and is a member of the Founders’ Circle of supporters. With an extensive career in financial services, Simon was most recently a founding Partner and Finance Director of Fundsmith, the asset management firm. He is currently working with a number of high growth companies including being Chair of GaitQ Limited, a medical devices spin-out from Oxford University. This will be Simon’s third charity governance position; he is on the Board of Trustees at the Royal Institution and is the co-founder and trustee of Levelling Up:STEM. Other than enjoying reading a broad range of both fiction and non-fiction books, he is also keen on theatre and is a supporter of the Hampstead and Park Theatres. Simon has been appointed as Chair of the Board by the Trustees and will take up this role when Howard Davies steps down. Learn more here.

SIMON KING a Library member for much of his adult life, Simon is Head of Corporate Affairs at Hakluyt, the strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors. He has a global role as a member of the company’s senior leadership team, and currently divides his time between New York and London. He has previously worked for the firm in Tokyo and Berlin. Before joining Hakluyt in 2014, Simon spent 15 years as a civil servant in the British government. He spent four years in 10 Downing Street, working first for Gordon Brown and then for David Cameron. His last role in government was as director of strategy and delivery for Theresa May when she was home secretary. Simon has a lifelong interest in philosophy and the arts. Inspired by the poet and literary critic William Empson’s encounter with Buddhist sculptures in Kyoto and Nara in the 1930s, he is currently writing a book about various cultural, intellectual and religious connections between East Asia and Western Europe. Much of his research for this has been carried out in the Library. For the last year, Simon has served as a co-opted member of the Library’s Development Committee.

Appointment of auditors

The Trustees proposed the re-appointment of MHA MacIntyre Hudson as the Library’s Auditors for the financial year 2023-2024. The re-appointment was confirmed.

Membership fees from 1 January 2024

The Trustees proposed to increase the ordinary annual fee by £30 from £585 (£48.75 per month) to £615 (£51.25 per month) in 2024, an increase of 5.1%. Those paying by annual Direct Debit will receive a £50 discount and pay £565, an increase of 3.7%. These increases are significantly lower than recent levels of inflation, in recognition of the cost pressures we know members are currently facing. Proportionate increases will be applied for the other annual membership categories including Life membership. The Trustees therefore proposed the following membership fees for the year commencing January 2024, which were approved at the AGM.

Read the annual report and find out more

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

The London Library Ambassadors

2023-07-24T13:00:03+00:00

::cck::1030::/cck::
::introtext::

The London Library Ambassadors Programme

We are delighted to announce our London Library Ambassadors, who will help raise awareness of the Library and expand the Library's reach and impact.

The Ambassadors were chosen for their longstanding support in which each member has, on numerous occasions, voluntarily offered their time, expertise and platform for the Library. Their work spans genres, from historic writing to poetry and academia, reflecting our wonderfully creative and diverse community.

We are glad to publicly extend our gratitude for their valued, ongoing commitment to the Library.

Photo credit: Piers Allardyce

Photo credit: Amanda Ward

Raymond Antrobus MBE FRSL is a multi-award-winning poet, writer and educator. He is the author of Shapes & Disfigurements (Burning Eye, 2012) To Sweeten Bitter (Out-Spoken Press, 2017), The Perseverance (Penned In The Margins / Tin House, 2018) and All The Names Given (Picador / Tin House, 2021).

William Boyd is the author of 18 novels, including A Good Man in Africa, winner of the Whitbread Literary Award and the Somerset Maugham Award; An Ice Cream War, winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and shortlisted for the Booker prize; Any Human Heart, winner of the Prix Jean Monnet; and Restless, winner of the Costa Novel of the Year, the Yorkshire Post Novel of the Year and a Richard & Judy selection. His second book in a trilogy, The Predicament will be published in 2025. He has written three plays and numerous screenplays.

Jessie Burton is the multi-million best-selling author of four novels: The Miniaturist, The Muse, The Confession and The House of Fortune – all instant Sunday Times bestsellers. The Miniaturist was the National Book Awards Book of the Year, and Waterstones Book of the Year 2014, and in 2017 it was adapted as a BBC One miniseries. Her books for young readers include The Restless Girls, Medusa (shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal) and Hidden Treasure. She has written essays and reviews for The New York Times, Harpers Bazaar UK, The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, Elle and The Independent.

Sarah Churchwell is a Professor in American Literature and Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities at the School of Advanced Study, University of London. She is the author of four books. She was longlisted for the Orwell Prize for Journalism in 2021 and has contributed to radio, television, and documentary film projects. She was co-winner of the 2015 Eccles British Library Writer’s Award.

Inua Ellams is a Nigerian-born, UK-based poet, playwright and performer who has written for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and the BBC. His latest play was an adaptation of Chekhov’s Three Sisters set in Nigeria, staged at the National Theatre. The Actual, his fifth poetry release and first full collection, was published in 2020 by Penned in the Margins.

Harriet Evans is the author of 15 bestselling novels. Formerly an editor in publishing, she now writes full time and lives in Bath, somewhat curtailing her physical time at the Library, though it remains her favourite place to write. Her latest novel, The Treasures, the first in the Sevenstones trilogy, was published in June 2025. She is on the management committee of the Society of Authors. In 2024, as Harriet F Townson, she published D is for Death, the first in a 1930s murder mystery series set in and around the Library – the perfect excuse to spend more time there.

Katy Hessel is an art historian, broadcaster and curator dedicated to celebrating women artists from all over the world, through projects including the Great Women Artists Instagram and podcast. Her bestselling recent book, The Story of Art Without Men, was the 2022 Waterstone’s Book of the Year.

Victoria Hislop is the author of eight bestselling novels mostly set in Greece. Her work has been translated into 40 languages and three have been adapted for Greek television. She became a Greek citizen in 2020 and when not travelling for research, Victoria writes in the London Library.

Rachel Holmes is the author of the biographies Sylvia Pankhurst: Natural Born Rebel, Eleanor Marx: A Life, The Secret Life of Dr James Barry and The Hottentot Venus: The Life and Death of Sarah Baartman. Rachel discovered Sylvia Pankhurst’s lost prison play, Between Two Fires, unknown for a century and performed for the first time at The London Library Lit Fest 2023. Instagram: @rachelholmeswriter

Suzannah Lipscomb FSA, FRHistS is an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster. She is Professor Emerita of History at the University of Roehampton and Senior Member at St Cross College, Oxford. She is the author of five books on the sixteenth century and an established television presenter. She hosts the Not Just the Tudors podcast from History Hit.

Giles Milton is the million-copy, internationally bestselling author of thirteen works of narrative history. His books have been translated into twenty-five languages. Milton’s most recent book is The Stalin Affair: The Impossible Alliance that Won the War. It was a BBC Radio 4 “Book of the Week”.

John O’Farrell is the author of a dozen books including The Man Who Forgot His Wife, May Contain Nuts, Things Can Only Get Better and An Utterly Impartial History of Britain. Other writing credits include Spitting Image, Chicken Run (and its forthcoming sequel) and the Broadway musicals Something Rotten! and Mrs Doubtfire. As a broadcaster he has appeared on Have I Got News for You, Question Time and Newsnight Review and he co-hosts the podcast We Are History.

Neil Pearson is a BAFTA nominated actor, best known for his roles on Drop the Dead Donkey, Between the Lines, and the Bridget Jones films. He is also an author of Obelisk: A History of Jack Kahane and the Obelisk Press, a collector of rare books and a bibliophilic antiquarian book dealer who specialises in the expatriate literary movement of Paris between the World Wars.

Hallie Rubenhold is a bestselling author, social historian, broadcaster and historical consultant for TV and film. Her books include three works of non-fiction and two novels, of which, The Covent Garden Ladies and Lady Worlsey’s Whim, have inspired television dramas; Harlots and The Scandalous Lady W. Her most recent book, The Five; The Untold Lives of The Women Killed by Jack the Ripper is a Sunday Times Bestseller and won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction.

Charles Saumarez Smith is a freelance writer, curator and art historian. He is an author of books and articles, a lecturer, and former academic. He has been Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Arts, chairman of The Royal Drawing School, and is currently a trustee of the Garden Museum, and an Emeritus Trustee of ArtUK and Charleston.

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

London Library Partners

2021-07-22T13:29:49+00:00

::cck::892::/cck::
::introtext::

The London Library is delighted to partner with a range of organisations for events, awards, workshops and more. Our partners play a vital role in ensuring that we are able to remain a centre of creativity and inspiration for future generations of readers, writers and thinkers.

Arts Council England

Arts Council England are the national development agency for creativity and culture. They have set out a strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. They invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.

Arvon

For over fifty years Arvon has been the UK’s home of creative writing. They have three centres, in Devon, Shropshire and Yorkshire and their residential courses and retreats, led by highly acclaimed writers, span poetry to playwriting, song to screenplay, fact to fiction, starting to finishing.

Bloomsbury Institute

The Bloomsbury Institute is the public event series of Bloomsbury Publishing, they run unmissable events, panel talks and literary salons for book lovers, writers and publishers.

Brighton Festival

A celebration of music, theatre, dance, circus, art, film, literature, debate, outdoor and community events, Brighton Festival takes place in familiar and unusual locations across Brighton & Hove and further afield for three weeks every May.

Creation Theatre

Creation Theatre perform classic texts in extraordinary locations, including Dracula and The Time Machine at The London Library. They are experts at bringing stories to life in very special spaces and delighting audiences.

Commonwealth Writers

Commonwealth Writers is the cultural initiative of the Commonwealth Foundation. It aims to inspire, develop and connect writers across the Commonwealth. Its flagship is a literary award for short stories, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

English PEN

English PEN is one of the world's oldest human rights organisations, championing the freedom to write and the freedom to read around the world. They are the founding centre of PEN International, a worldwide writers’ association with 145 centres in more than 100 countries.

Henley Literary Festival

Launched in 2007, Henley Literary Festival is established as one of the UK’s biggest book festivals. It brings authors together from all genres and past speakers have included Theresa May, Paul Merton, Mary Berry, Jojo Moyes, Julia Donaldson, Richard E. Grant and many more.

Insiders/Outsider Festival

Insiders/Outsiders was a year-long nationwide arts festival celebrating the indelible contribution of refugees from Nazi-dominated Europe to British culture. March 2020 marked the official end of the festival, but also the beginning of a longer-term commitment to celebrating the impact of this remarkable generation of émigrés under the Insiders/Outsiders umbrella.

Jacaranda

Jacaranda Books is a diversity-led British independent book publishing firm launched in 2012, it is known for publishing groundbreaking and inclusive titles. The London Library has partnered with Jacaranda for their #Twentyin2020 initiative - a trailblazing programme that has dedicated a year to publishing 20 works by black British writers.

Jewish Book Week

Jewish Book Week is a literary festival in London, held annually in February and March, that explores Jewish literature, ideas and culture. The festival was founded in 1952.

Jhalak Prize

First awarded in March 2017, the Jhalak Prize and its new sister award Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize founded in 2020, seek to celebrate books by British/British resident BAME writers.

Ministry of Stories

Ministry of Stories champions the writer in every child. Co-founded by author Nick Hornby in 2010, we help young people discover their confidence, imagination and potential through the power of their writing.

Pen to Print

Pen to Print provides a safe, collaborative environment that attracts and supports a network of diverse writers and genres. By learning to develop their authentic voices, aspiring writers are encouraged to reach communities with their stories reflecting not just their own journeys but also inspiring potential in others. They aim to build a network of expertise and support for aspiring writers in Barking and Dagenham.

The Royal Society of Literature

Founded in 1820, the RSL is the UK’s charity for the advancement of literature. They act as a voice for the value of literature, engage people in appreciating literature, and encourage and honour writers. Today, alongside their world-class events programme, they support authors both established and emerging with awards and grants, and manage an outreach programme to inspire the next generation of readers and writers.

Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award

The Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award is awarded for a full-length published or self-published (in book or ebook formats) work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, by an author aged 18 – 35 years. The winning book will be a work of outstanding literary merit. The award is an annual prize, sponsored by the Sunday Times and the Charlotte Aitken Trust. The prize is administered by the Society of Authors.

Wimbledon Bookfest

Wimbledon BookFest is a not for profit charity promoting arts, culture and education. They run an Annual Public Festival based on Wimbledon Common in October and educational projects with schools & young people in Merton and South London. Wimbledon Bookfest hosts over 100 events in its 10 day period and has grown from 1,000 visitors in its first year to over 20,000 people now attending.

Word Factory

The Word Factory is committed to supporting the next generation of short story writers in long-term literary relationships, bringing leading established and emerging writers together in exciting collaborations.

Write & Shine

Write & Shine morning writing workshops and online courses are open to everyone, whether you’re new to writing, have some experience or simply want more creativity into your working day. We find inspiration from modern life and the seasons, while exploring the craft of writing. Research shows we’re more creative in the morning. When we wake, we’re incredibly sensitive to the sights and sounds of our environment.

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

The London Library Subsidised Schools Membership Programme

2020-02-24T17:43:20+00:00

::cck::613::/cck::
::introtext::

The scheme is a unique opportunity which offers state schools fully subsidised school membership of the Library for the full year. With its unparalleled collection of around 1 million volumes spanning 200 subject areas, unlimited access to around 1,000 online journals and beautiful workspaces, membership is a brilliant resource for any school, particularly for the EPQ and independent research.

Our schools membership package provides the following benefits:

Membership benefits for up to three named individuals, two of which can be changed at any time
Beautiful and inspiring places to work, study and think
Ability to borrow and browse from an extensive collection of just under a million volumes, covering over 300 subjects in the arts and humanities
Unlimited access to over 1,000 online resources, including Jstor andThe New Oxford Shakespeare
Generous borrowing allowances of up to 25 volumes
Expert assistance with reference and research enquiries. We can also provide students with basic study skills sessions to help them improve research skills.

We currently have over 60 schools in membership, many of which use the Library on a regular basis and benefit from bespoke support with study and research needs, ranging from EPQ group study sessions organised by our knowledgeable Librarian staff, to help with the research needs of individual students. Here’s what one of our school’s members says about their membership:

“The London Library is an amazing resource for our students and offers them access to resources that they would not usually be able to use, which helps with developing their independent study skills for university. Having access to new resources allows students to widen their interpretations in coursework and in their studies in general which will help in their studies, and could even help to improve their grades."

And here's what one of our subsidised school's pupils thinks of the Library:

"I really enjoyed my time in the London Library. Not only was it helpful to my research, but it was amazing to explore such a unique place.

There were books about absolutely everything. It was really easy to find many books about a single subject and I found these books extremely useful to my research."

Applications for the Subsidised Schools Membership Scheme are open to any state schools with pupils above 16 and a school Librarian. Applicants should have a clear idea of how they wish to use the Library for the benefit of staff and pupils, and must be prepared to provide feedback about their experience of membership. Applications closed on Monday 1 July 2024.

If you would like to apply, please email Charlotte Beskeen at charlotte.beskeen@londonlibrary.co.uk to request an application form. For any questions regarding your application please contact Charlotte by phone on 020 7766 4700 or on the email address above.

We look forward to receiving your application and good luck!

The Subsidised Schools Membership Scheme has been made possible through the generous support The London Library has received from a number of anonymous donors. The scheme has not received any public funding.

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

The London Library Team

2019-02-26T12:23:40+00:00

::cck::500::/cck::
::introtext::

The Executive Team

Director, Philip Marshall

As Director, Philip is the chief executive officer of the Library, reporting to the Board of Trustees.

Philip began his career as a solicitor before moving into management within arts and culture. He spent 11 years at the British Museum where his roles included Head of Commercial and Director of International Engagement. His other roles have also included Director of Business Development at the Royal Albert Hall and Director of Development at Sadler’s Wells.

director@londonlibrary.co.uk

Director of Collections and Library Services, Matthew Brooke

Matthew joined The London Library in 2019 and is focused on developing the Library’s outstanding collection and the library services that it provides, with directorial responsibility for the Member Services, Collection Care, Bibliographic Services and Acquisitions teams

He has been involved in library services for over a decade, most recently as Acting Director of Library Services at Royal Holloway where he was responsible for services including the archives and special collection, and led the development of the £60m Library Student Services Centre.

matthew.brooke@londonlibrary.co.uk

Director of Finance & Resources, Chris Gilbert

Chris joined The London Library in 2022 and is responsible for the Library’s Finance, IT, HR and Building Management teams. Chris is a qualified accountant with thirty years of experience in the charity and public sectors.

Chris was previously the Chief Finance Officer for London Transport Museum and spent many years as a Trustee and Treasurer for the Association for Cultural Enterprises. He is an advocate for strong charitable governance and the importance of the heritage, arts and culture sectors.

chris.gilbert@londonlibrary.co.uk

Director of Development, Willa Beckett

Willa joined The London Library in 2023 and with the Development team is responsible for generating philanthropic and commercial income to support the Library’s activities and collections. Willa has worked in development and project management roles in arts organisations for over 20 years. Previous employers include the Art Fund, the National Gallery and most recently Sir John Soane’s Museum. She also spent over two years representing the Royal Drawing School in New York, establishing international partnerships with art schools and funders.

willa.beckett@londonlibrary.co.uk

Departmental Teams

“I give daily thanks to The London Library and its peerless staff” - Max Hastings

The London Library is proud of its people and the high quality service they provide. There's information below to help you find out more about the different departments and services within the Library along with a list of key contact addresses where you can get in touch.

Collections and Library Services

The Department is headed by Matthew Brooke, Director of Collections and Library Services. Three teams within this Department are focused on maintaining and developing the Library's unique collection and the outstanding library services that provide access to it:

Member Services

The Library takes pride in offering first class support to members and visitors in accessing our collection, study spaces and services across the Library. The Member Services Team, including the Reception, Issue Desk and collection management staff, provide much of the day-to-day service to members and visitors relating to their use of the Library. Services include:

Frontline enquiry handling at Reception and the Issue Desk, relating to membership matters and queries about the print and online collections
Prospective member tours
Inductions for new members
Postal loan service
Book retrieval service
More extensive collection and research enquiries

Key contacts

Book Enquiries, loans and renewals: (020) 7766 4743 | returns.desk@londonlibrary.co.uk
Reception: (020) 7766 4700 | reception@londonlibrary.co.uk
Postal loans: (020) 7766 4782 | country.orders@londonlibrary.co.uk
New Book suggestions: suggestions@londonlibrary.co.uk
For more general feedback about Library services, contact feedback@londonlibrary.co.uk

Collection Care

The Collection Care team maintains and preserves the Library’s collections, and manages the stack areas. Preventative work focusses on managing the environment in the stacks by managing shelf space and monitoring relative humidity, temperature, light levels and pest activity. Working from a dedicated conservation studio, the team also stabilise and conserve collections for continued use by members.

Acquisitions & Discovery

The Library’s print collection comprising around one million volumes across 17 miles of shelving is at the heart of what makes The London Library so special and unique. The extensive range of online databases and resources, available for use in or away from the Library, further expands the vast amount of publications and literature available to members. The collection management is carried out by the Acquisitions & Discovery Team, which continues to add around 6,000 books and ebooks annually. The selection of titles draws on the expertise of the Acquisitions team pursuing the Library’s Collection Management and Development Principles and takes account wherever possible of recommendations from members for titles that would support their research and strengthen the collection. Suggestions for new books can be made to suggestions@londonlibrary.co.uk. Whilst most of the Library’s selections have to be purchased, new title donations that fit the collection are welcomed for our consideration and members are invited to contact the team via donations@londonlibrary.co.uk with their proposals.

Development

Development plays a vital role in enabling the Library - which receives no regular public funding - to operate and provide its services to members and users. Under the direction of Development Director, Willa Beckett, the team is responsible for creating, maintaining and deepening relationships with the Library’s philanthropic supporters and running a range of programmes through which individuals and charitable trusts can support the Library.

Key contacts

Director of Development: Willa Beckett willa.beckett@londonlibrary.co.uk
Fundraising enquiries and donations: development@londonlibrary.co.uk
Founders’ Circle: patrons@londonlibrary.co.uk
Legacy enquiries: legacy@londonlibrary.co.uk
Filming and Venue Hire: venuehire@londonlibrary.co.uk

Finance & Administration Department

Teams and key contacts

Accounts - accounts@londonlibrary.co.uk
Building & Facilities Management. The BFM Team, is responsible for maintenance and security of the building and the provision of core facilities to ensure the Library is a safe, comfortable and effective working environment for members, staff and visitors. The team provides the first port of call for deliveries and postal services and also operates beyond normal opening hours to allow for cleaning, events or significant maintenance work.
HR - HR Manager, claire.rudman@londonlibrary.co.uk
Finance - Director of Finance and Resources, chris.gilbert@londonlibrary.co.uk

Membership Department

A thriving membership is vital to the Library and the Membership Department is responsible for raising awareness of the Library, recruiting new members and ensuring that existing members get as much as possible out of their membership beyond use of the collection. The team's activities include:

Marketing - recruiting new members and keeping existing and potential audiences informed of the many benefits of Library membership
Communication - helping raise the profile of the Library through a range of channels including print, broadcast and social media, The London Library magazine and the website
Events - developing a vibrant program of public events
Membership administration - ensuring that all our members' subscriptions and new membership applications are efficiently processed and maintained
Merchandise and branding - ensuring a consistent and compelling identity for the Library's communications and external profile
- Membership enquiries: membership@londonlibrary.co.uk
- Press enquiries: communications@londonlibrary.co.uk
- The London Library magazine: magazine@londonlibrary.co.uk
- Public events: events@londonlibrary.co.uk
- Marketing enquiries: marketing@londonlibrary.co.uk
- Membership Director: vacancy

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

Inside The London Library

2019-02-26T09:50:27+00:00

::cck::499::/cck::
::introtext::

The London Library is one of the world's great lending libraries, with an amazing collection of around 1 million books, and an equally extraordinary history.

Behind its elegant facade overlooking St. James's Square is a vast network of books, where since the mid-nineteenth century, seven buildings have been brought into one and a great centre of learning and ideas has been created.

The Library is available to hire as an event space, find out more on our venue hire page.

Our magical building has atmospheric bookstacks and beautiful spaces for members to work and relax in:

Take a look at our 3D tour below. Alternatively use the button below to view it full screen.

VIEW INSIDE

The Reading Room

Opened in 1896 by Virginia Woolf's father, the magnificent Reading Room has a special place in London’s literary life. Countless authors - from Arthur Conan Doyle and Joseph Conrad to EM Forster and Antonia Fraser - have worked here; the opening chapter of AS Byatt's "Possession" is set here. Housing reference works and current periodicals and offering beautiful views across St. James's Square, it provides desk space for up to 40 people and a unique environment for quiet study.

Video tour of the Reading Room

The Art Room

Built in the 1930s, bombed in the 1940s and extensively refurbished in 2010 by architects Haworth Tompkins (who won a RIBA award for their work), the Art Room's striking contemporary design makes clever reference to the architectural features found in the older parts of the Library. The impressive ceiling (covered over in the 1970s and only revealed during the refurbishment work) helps support six floors of bookstacks directly above it. Housing the larger books in the Library’s 25,000 strong art books collection, the Art Room is a popular working area accommodating 4 reading desks.

Video tour of the Art Room

The Bookstacks

The Library's extensive bookstacks are a paradise for browsing, with over one million books dating from the 1700s to the present day housed side-by-side on over 17 miles of shelving. The famous 1890s stacks with their striking iron-grille floors are some of the best-loved parts of the Library. Grade II listed they house four floors of the Library’s History and Science & Miscellaneous collections and three more floors of the Literature collection. Together they provide a uniquely atmospheric way of exploring books, triggering ideas and making new discoveries.

Video inside the famous stacks

The Writers' Room

The Writers' Room is one of the most intensively-used areas of the Library and has become a favoured space for industrious writing and study. It can seat up to 26 people at any one time and offers members state-of-the art working and studying facilities in a setting that strikingly balances modern and traditional design features.

Video tour of the Writers' Room

The Issue Hall

The Issue Hall – the Library’s historic entrance and reception area overseeing St James’s Square - was opened in 1896 and is the Library's central hub where books are issued and returned and our busy Member Services team are on hand to provide expert help about finding and borrowing books. An extensive locker area has been created to cater for up to 100 members at a time and nearby rooms provide handy print and copying facilities.

Short video inside the Issue Hall

The Times Room

The Library's labyrinthine basement area contains backruns of over 2,200 periodicals and journals housed on special rolling stacks. It also includes the Times Room – a purpose-built facility providing open access to original copies of over 200 years of the Times. These print holdings are complemented by the extensive online resources that are offered as part of membership, providing remote access to hundreds of journals and periodicals (including JSTOR), databases and newspapers.

Tour of the Times Room

The Foyle Lightwell Reading Room

As its name suggests, The Foyle Lightwell Room was originally an open air courtyard designed to allow light into surrounding parts of the building. It has been recently been roofed over with a glass roof and converted into a spectacular working space housing up to 8 readers.

The Study

The Study – a former Committee room – provides an impressive working space for up to 15 members. Designed in the 1930s by architects Mewes Davis (who also designed the Ritz Hotel) it creates an elegant Georgian Style atmosphere, particularly as the room also features an original Robert Adam fireplace, donated to the Library when Lansdowne House in Mayfair was part demolished in the 1930s.

The 6th Floor Members' Suite

These spaces include the Annex and Common Room (providing informal spaces for individual or group work) and the Coffee Room (for eating and relaxing during the day). Unlike the rest of the Library, these are not strictly quiet areas, and conversations - including phone conversations - are permitted here. Mobile phone booths are available for longer or more private conversations.

::/introtext::
::fulltext::::/fulltext::

Members past and present

2015-07-29T14:25:16+00:00

London Library Members

The London Library is one of the UK’s greatest literary institutions, providing a centre of creativity, inspiration and ideas for 180 years. From its foundation, the Library has been associated with many of the most prominent writers and thinkers of the day.

Well-known members and frequent borrowers have included Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Bram Stoker, Virginia Woolf, Angela Carter, Daphne du Maurier, Stanley Kubrick and Ian Fleming.

Current writers in membership include Kazuo Ishiguro, Raymond Antrobus, Simon Schama, Jessie Burton and Sarah Waters. The Library is also championed by its President and member of over 30 years, Helena Bonham Carter CBE.

These famous names are part of a much wider community of 7,500 members who find the Library’s resources invaluable. Our members come from all ages and backgrounds and membership is open to everyone. On a daily basis, members of the public, authors, academics, students, researchers and people from a host of professional backgrounds share our facilities and their love of learning, creating a unique cultural institution in the heart of London.

What makes the London Library so special?

Join members including author and screenwriter Daisy Goodwin, poet and playwright Inua Ellams and screenwriter Max Gill as they share their perspectives on the invaluable benefits of London Library membership.

Explore their insights into how the Library's extensive collection enriches their research, writing, and creative process.

The London Library is at the heart of Literature

At our 175th anniversary celebrations in St. James's Square, we had the opportunity to catch up with 10 esteemed writers, actors - and London Library members. They shared their thoughts on the enchantment of books and what they love about The London Library.