Support The London Library
The London Library is a financially independent, registered charity. Philanthropy has always been essential to ensure we can subsidise membership and maintain our building and collection. Please consider making a donation and help us continue inspiring generations of writers, readers and thinkers.
Today there are a variety of different ways in which your support, whatever its size, can make a real difference in a number of key areas.
Unrestricted Donations
An unrestricted donation allows us to direct your support toward the area of greatest need, helping ensure the continuous running of the building, and operation of the Library. Donate here.
The most important annual contribution towards our core function comes from our Founders Circle of Library Patrons. Learn more about this programme here.
Our Collection
Each year the Library acquires around 6,000 new items and the Collection Care team work to keep our existing books in a useable condition.
A donation towards acquisitions helps develop the collection for current and future generations and ensure that everyone is able to find the books they need to use.
You can also support with a donation towards book conservation. Over the years our books see a lot of wear and tear from usage and there are books in our safes that have become too delicate to handle. A donation towards the care of our collection will allow our Collection Care Team to repair damaged books and send rare volumes away for specialist care, so they can, where possible, be put back into circulation.
Emerging Writers Programme
The Library's Emerging Writers' Programme supports unpublished writers at the start of their careers. Each year a cohort of 40 writers receive one year's free Library membership and a programme of writing masterclasses, networking opportunities and peer support. Find out more about the Emerging Writers Programme here.
The Emerging Writers Programme is funded entirely by donations and sponsorship, please support this programme and help an unpublished writer gain access to the Library and career changing resources.
Supported Membership
To ensure the Library remains as accessible to as many people as possible, the Library offers supported membership to those unable to meet the full annual fee. Those who are eligible will normally have membership fees reduced by 30%, or in exceptional cases 60%.
Donating to Supported Membership helps enable those with a real need to access the Library’s resources, but who would otherwise not be able to join, to make use of the Library’s collection and physical spaces.
The Library Fund
The Library Fund is a biennial fundraising campaign focused on improving the Library in ways that directly impact its users. Every two years, supporters of the Fund make possible one special project to enhance how members and the wider Library community enjoy its buildings or make use of its collections.
Find out more about The Library Fund here.
