Our online catalogue Catalyst will be unavailable to members for up to 24hrs over the weekend of 12-13 July while the service provider, ExLibris, carries out a datacentre migration. 

Our Charitable Object, Mission, Values and 5 Year Strategic Plan

The London Library was founded to share knowledge and inspire the creation of new ideas. Over the last 184 years, it has inspired and supported writers, thinkers, scholars and artists in the creation of some of the world’s most famous books, scripts and ideas that have, in turn, touched the lives of many millions, shaping the intellectual history of the nation and the world.

Just as importantly, the Library has facilitated the personal creativity and intellectual journeys of many tens of thousands of individuals who have benefited from the Library’s rich and uniquely accessible collection, conducive spaces to read and study, and knowledgeable staff.

Turning to the future, our focus for the next 5 years is to establish the Library as “The Home of Literary Inspiration.” We want to be widely recognised as a welcoming, accessible, inspiring, and supportive place for the creation, discovery and enjoyment of literature. We want to further develop our collection, continue to grow our reach and impact, and consolidate our financial sustainability.

Learn more

Our plans for Phase One of the project (the Discovery Room and basement kitchen) are progressing well and we are currently running a tender process to select a building contractor to carry out the works. The selection process should be completed in June and we are aiming to commence building works in July, to take advantage of a quieter period in the Library over summer. We will provide further details of any potential disruption for members nearer the time and shall aim to keep any inconvenience to a minimum.

This week we shall also be submitting our application to Westminster Council for planning permission in respect of Phase Two (the 6th floor renovation, roof terrace and lift). The planning process is expected to take several months and will provide formal planning feedback on our initial designs. Our design work on this part of the project is therefore temporarily on hold while we await the Council’s response.

Our building improvements are intended to help us increase our public impact, make our collection more accessible, support the needs of our growing membership, and ensure our long-term sustainability.