Join & Support

One million volumes on 17 miles of shelves to browse, borrow and discover. The collection dates from 1700 to the present day, with nearly all titles available to borrow. Our online collection offers thousands of eResources including 25,000 academic journals and scholarly databases such as JSTOR, and newspaper archives such as the British Newspaper Archive (Library edition) and London Review of Books, all of which can be accessed remotely giving members access to research materials from anywhere in the world.

Spanning more than 2,000 subjects and with around 5,000 new books added each year, the collection is designed for discovery, inspiration and deep research. 

Access thousands of online resources searchable on our catalogue from anywhere – within the Library or at home. Members are welcome to browse the catalogue from within the Library or from any browser, from any location 

An extraordinary history and vibrant and broad community of readers, writers and researchers, represented in our collection.

Well-known members and frequent borrowers including: AS Byatt, Angela Carter, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, TS Eliot, Ian Fleming, EM Forster, Daphne du Maurier, Muriel Spark, Bram Stoker, Sir Tom Stoppard and Virginia Woolf. Today, our 7,500 members include current writers Raymond Antrobus, Jessie Burton, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro, Sir Simon Schama and Sarah Waters, and is championed by its President, Helena Bonham Carter CBE. 13 winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature have been Library members. 

Beautiful silent spaces to read, write, research and be inspired. With 160 individual desks surrounded by silence and other writers, from bookstacks and quiet corners to elegant reading rooms filled with natural light, the building is designed for focused work, browsing and discovery — a unique literary space in the heart of London.

Borrow 15 books at a time for long loan periods, with the opportunity to increase your lending allowance. 

We are also the only Library offering a postal loan service enabling Remote members to borrow books and have them delivered to their address. 

A sparkling events programme bringing the latest in literature, history and culture directly to our all those who use the Library. From workshops and masterclasses to talks and readings. 

Member discounts and exclusive member events. 

See What's On. 

Our range of membership types offer the flexibility you need to read, write, work and discover. 

From full access to the Library and its resources, evenings and remote access, to reduced-rate options for under 30s and those on lower incomes.  

Our knowledge and friendly Member Services team is hand to help with research and reference enquiries, while our subject Acquisitions team makes sure our members have the resources they need. 

The Library offers a postal loans service to members who are unable to visit the Library in person. Books can be requested online and then sent to your home address. There are charges for postage and vouchers to cover the cost. 

Inter-library loans 

The Library participates in the national inter-library loan schemes and it is possible for us to obtain materials from outside our collection for members.  There is an additional cost for this service.

An in-depth look into our collection, its members and history, the London Library magazine is produced twice a year and delivered straight to your door. 

Groups to meet other like-minded members, collaborate, share interests or reading recommendations. A great way to find your community. 

See member groups.