Why Donations Matter

Founded in 1841, The London Library is the world’s largest independent lending library and the home of literary inspiration. As an independent registered charity receiving no regular public funding, donations and grants play a vital role in sustaining the Library and supporting its future.

Membership fees cover around two thirds of the cost of running the Library. Support from individuals, trusts, foundations and organisations helps care for the collection, maintain the historic building, widen access to resources and community programmes, and ensure the Library remains a unique space to read, write, research and be inspired.

Unrestricted donations are particularly valuable, allowing the Library to direct support where it is needed most and respond to emerging priorities and opportunities. Donations of every size make a meaningful difference, and regular giving provides vital long-term support for the Library’s work.

Our Supporters

Building Connections

Thank you to our capital donors supporting the ongoing Building Connections development project.

Neville Bass
John & Rebecca Colenutt
The Deborah Loeb Brice Foundation
The Drue Heinz Charitable Trust
Reverend Paul Arthur Gismondi
The Godwin Family
Andrew Hine
The Howberry Charitable Trust
The International Friends of The London Library
David & Krystyna Ireland
Jan Michalski Foundation
The JK Foundation
The Julia Rausing Trust
Simon Ralph King
Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust
Mr J A Morgan
PF Charitable Trust
Richard & Amicia Oldfield
Basil Postan
Rothschild Foundation
Kimberley Samuel
Andrew Spells
Stonehage Fleming
The Unwin Charitable Trust
Georgia & David Winter
Wolfson Foundation

Emerging Writers Programme

Amazon Literary Partnership
Charlotte Aitken Trust
John & Kiendl Gordon
Hawthornden Foundation
The International Friends of The London Library
Robert Macleod
The Jerzy Peterkiewicz Educational Foundation
Virago Books

Library Fund Appeal

Mohammad Almojel 
Peter & Rosemary Andreae
Professor Tim Congdon CBE 
Judith Goodison
The International Friends of The London Library
Allan Murray-Jones
Penchant Foundation
Peter Harrington Foundation
David Profumo
Mark Storey
Timothy Schroder Charity
 

Other Gifts

The Appleman Foundation
Elizabeth Belfer
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomsbury Publishing
In memory of Richard David Carter
Michael Cohen
Louise Edith Collis Charitable Trust
Reverend Paul Arthur Gismondi
Marianne Hinton
The International Friends of The London Library
Louise Edith Collis Charitable Trust
Richard Wallstein Foundation
Richard Shuttleworth
Troy Asset Management
Philip Alastair Winston
 

Supported Membership and Access Programmes

The Cadogan Charity
John S Cohen Foundation
John & Rebecca Colenutt
Lady Ros Cox & Sir Alan Cox
Gonzalo Garcia Annual Giving Fund
The International Friends of The London Library
Lucie Jay
Robert Macleod
The Sigrid Rausing Trust
T S Eliot Foundation
Westminster Foundation

Why Unrestricted Giving Matters

Unrestricted donations give the Library the flexibility to care for collections, maintain spaces, respond to emerging priorities and invest where support will have the greatest impact. Regular and unrestricted gifts provide vital long-term support for the Library's future.

Help sustain The London Library. Every donation helps support a unique literary institution that has inspired readers, writers and researchers for more than 185 years.

Contact the Development team

Whether through a donation, membership of the Patrons Circle, support for a specific project or a gift in your will, there are many ways to help sustain the Library's collections, spaces and community.