Work for Us

The home of literary inspiration

For 185 years The London Library has been at the heart of literary life. A registered charity, our members enjoy quiet places to read, write and research, browsing our atmospheric bookstacks and extensive eResources, using our unique postal loans service and knowledgeable staff.

A member of staff hands a book across the issue desk to a waiting member.

We love books — and so do our members. Our staff are the heart of the Library. When you join The London Library, you become part of a dedicated community committed to our mission: To inspire, support and promote the creation and sharing of knowledge and ideas through reading, writing and discussion. Every day, our teams work together to create an exceptional member experience, powered by the expertise, enthusiasm and friendliness of our people.

Current vacancies & opportunities

It’s an exciting time to join the Library. With a wide range of roles across different disciplines, we’re entering our next chapter — and we’d love you to be part of the journey.

Roles at the London Library are as varied as the books on our shelves. From Member Services working front of house, to the Archives and Collection Care teams keeping our books in good condition, or our Marketing and Development colleagues who ensure the financial health of the Library to the Building Facilities team who care for our unique spaces, every member of our team plays a vital role in shaping the Library’s future.

Volunteering and trainee opportunities coming soon.

Development Manager: Trusts and Foundations

You will be supported by an active and supportive team and work alongside the Director of Development. A new CRM system, adopted in early 2024, enables enhanced prospect and donation management.

Check back regularly

To see more roles

Application process

Applying

Before applying, please take a moment to read our Applicant Privacy Notice.
We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments or access needs at any stage of the process.
To apply, please complete and submit the online application form and equal opportunities monitoring form by the advertised deadline. We are unable to accept CVs or speculative applications.

Interviews

Interviews take place either at the Library or online and usually involve a senior staff member or small panel. They last around an hour and may include a short task, and sometimes a tour of our reading rooms and book stacks.
If you need any adjustments just let us know when you are invited to interview.
We will keep you updated throughout the process and appreciate your patience during busy periods.

Staff benefits

We are committed to supporting our people, with generous benefits and development opportunities. Highlights include:

Annual leave

The Library offers 36 days’ holiday (including bank holidays and closure days), plus loyalty leave.

Pension

The Library operates a Group Personal Pension Scheme. Eligibility to join and entitlement to benefits is subject to the rules of the scheme. Please ask for further details

Life Assurance

The Library operates a Group Life Assurance Scheme, which in the event of death whilst employed by the Library, will pay out a lump sum of 4x annual salary to the employee’s nominated beneficiaries.

Cash Health Scheme

All employees are enrolled into our cash health scheme which allows members to reclaim the cost of medical expenses such as dental fees and prescription charges and includes access to a 24-hour employee assistance service and Mental Health First Aiders.

Season ticket and bicycle loans

Interest-free loans for the purchase of season-tickets and/or bicycles for travelling to and from work are available.

Complimentary Library membership

Staff are entitled to free membership of the Library and a book loan allowance of 15 books at a time, including eBooks, as well as access to the public events programme.

Learning & Development

The Library is committed to the support and development of all staff. We aim to ensure that all members of staff not only have the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to be successful in their jobs, but also to fulfil their career potential.

Hybrid Working

Where practicable and subject to line management agreement, we are able to provide flexible working options. Library employees whose role can be performed effectively without having to attend the Library on every working day will be able to discuss a hybrid work plan with their line manager.

Equal Opportunities Statement

We are proud to offer a workplace that values equality, diversity, inclusion and personal growth. The London Library is committed to providing equal opportunities to all current and prospective employees regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse workforce and believe that a more inclusive workplace, where people of different backgrounds work together, ensures better outcomes for all staff and our organisation. We strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join The London Library.

We take positive steps to ensure that our employees, stakeholders, contractors and clients can enjoy an experience that is fair, equitable and free from discrimination in their dealings with us.