Disabled access

The majority of Library event spaces, including the Reading Room, the Study and the Issue Hall, have step free access and are accessible by wheelchair. 

The back stacks however are not wheelchair accessible and we would advise guests who visit, that because of the grilled flooring, stiletto heels are not advisable.

Fees

Hire of the Library gives you exclusive access to all the rooms above, and is charged at a dry hire cost for an evening. Access is available from 5.30pm, and hire is available Wednesday - Saturday evenings. The current pandemic has meant the Library has had to update its hire conditions of use in order to protect its staff and members. For larger events, there is now an additional cleaning fee. Full details can be found here.

To discuss you requirements further, or to arrange a tour of the spaces we have on offer, please contact the Events team on 020 7766 4795, or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How to find us

The Library is located in the south west corner of St James's Square:

If you have any special access needs, please use the back entrance of the Library, which is located in Mason's Yard. If you are attending an event at the Libray and need directions or any further information, please get in touch with our Events team on 020 7766 4795. 

Nearest Underground Stations:

Piccadilly Circus
Green Park

Nearest Mainline Rail Stations:
Charing Cross
Victoria

The London Library is available for evening hire for a range of business and corporate events, including networking, dinners, receptions, awards, presentations, launches and celebrations. With an enviable location directly off St James’s Square and a minute’s walk from Piccadilly and Pall Mall, the Librarys stunning, yet modest façade hides a wealth of amazing features making it one of the most unique venue hire spaces in London. Hire is available on Wednesday – Saturday evenings after 5:30pm and Sundays all day.

Spread across seven interlocking buildings, with 17 miles of open access bookshelves and over one million books, the Library has played host to four Poet Laureates and 10 Nobel Prize winners amongst many other notable members. In addition to venue hire, these spaces are available for filming and photo shoots, and offer a unique and interesting space for films and fashion shoots.

Library members receive 10% off event hire.

To speak to a member of the team about hiring the Library, please call 020 7766 4795 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Alternatively, submit a venue hire request online.

Submit Request

The Spaces

There are several spaces available for hire within the Library that balance beautiful 19th century interiors with other more contemporary styles whilst always highlighting the vast and varied collection of rare books and manuscripts.

Featuring the Reading Room for up to 200 guests, the Issue Hall for pre-dinner receptions, and the Foyle Lightwell Reading Room and Art Room for small VIP events, the spaces are available on an exclusive basis for clients and their guests and offer an inspiring and unforgettable event experience.

Location 

Alongside the beautiful architecture and rich creative history, the venue is in a perfect location for attracting delegates and clients. Being only several minutes walk from Green Park and Piccadilly Circus underground stations, and less than 10 minutes walk from Charing Cross mainline station, clients can be assured of being in the very heart of the city and benefiting from the prestige of the many other historic institutions nearby.

Spaces to Hire at The London Library

Whether you are interested in hosting an event or looking for a space to film, at The London Library you and your guests will experience the rich cultural heritage of the organisation and a unique location unlike anywhere else in London. Take a 360° tour of our main spaces; the Issue Hall, Reading Room and Study and see for yourself. You can find further images and descriptions of these spaces below.

All income from hiring the venue is directed back into the conservation of the vast collection, the upkeep of the historic building and developing our outreach programmes.

The Reading Room

Standing reception: 200 guests
Seated dinner: 100 guests
Theatre style: 130 guests

Offering stunning views across St James's Square, plus double-height, book-lined walls and elegant ironwork balustrades, the Reading Room is our main space for events and sits at the historic heart of the Library. The Reading Room provides a flexible and atmospheric space whether you are looking to host a sophisticated dinner, a presentation or a reception. As well as the main space, the balustrades can be used for speeches or small performances and offer guests a great view of the events.

Video tour of the Reading Room

The Issue Hall

Standing reception: 100 guests

The Issue Hall is the perfect space for guests to register their attendance at the Reception Desk and also serves as a welcome area for larger standing events in the Reading Room, or a pre-dinner drink reception area. A cloakroom can be set up in front of the Library lockers with the old Librarian’s Desk used as a bar.

Video tour of the Issue Hall

The Study

Standing reception: 30 guests
Seated dinner: 12 guests
Theatre style: 30 guests

Opposite to the Reading Room, the Study is perfect for intimate dining or small drink receptions. Guests can enjoy the faux regency design of the space, complete with an original Robert Adam fireplace. The Study also serves as a field kitchen for larger events hosted in the Library, and gives caterers easy access to the Reading Room and to the lift.

The Art Room

Standing reception: 50 guests 

This recently refurbished space, which houses the Library's extensive art and architecture collection, is a modern and inspiring space for smaller events, and works as a fantastic reception space before dinner in the Reading Room. It can also serve as a private area for VIP drinks during larger events in the Reading Room.

Video tour of the Art Room

The Back Stacks 

The extensive network of back stacks with 17 miles of shelving offer a fascinating insight into the workings of the Library and are the perfect location for filming and photoshoots. The characterful grilled floors, the backdrop of the books and the atmospheric lighting means this unique space works just as well for documentaries as it does for feature films. 

The back stacks house the Library’s collection of History, Science, Literature and Miscellanea, and are a great place to explore on small tours and VIP visits. Specific books that relate to your guests or your organisation interests can be exhibited as part of your event which makes for a truly memorable and unique experience for guests.

Video tour of the famous stacks

The Library's Entrance (Image 1 and 2) on St James' Square is where your guests will first get a glimpse inside the Library. Behind this stunning, yet modest façade hides a wealth of amazing features, including 17 miles of open access bookshelves and over one million books. There is also a separate entrance to the Library for those who need wheelchair or step-free access.

Foyle Lightwell Reading Room (Image 3) was created from a former central lightwell and reaches four storeys high. The Foyle Lightwell Reading Room is the perfect space for a small drink reception after a tour, or to use as a green room for larger events. Allowing glimpses into every wing of the Library and featuring bronze panelling, guests can relax in one of our most contemporary spaces. Standing Reception: 30 guests

The Times Room (Image 4, 5 and 6) is a great space for filming interviews or hosting book displays as part of a tour. The room houses over 200 years' worth of The Times newspaper in rolling stacks which can be used when filming. The space is wheelchair accessible, but not available for event receptions. Standing Reception: 30 guests

The Writers Room (Image 7) is found next to the Reading Room and is a fantastic space for filming or photoshoots, but can also be used as an event space for smaller presentations. Complete with a mezzanine level, it has high ceilings and an airy, modern feel, whilst still keeping some of the Library's traditional charm. Standing Reception/Presentation: 30 guests

The London Library provides a uniquely atmospheric setting for filming and has been used as a location in a wide range of print, broadcast and commercial photography work.

Recent examples include episodes of Killing Eve, Top Boy, In Search of Dracula with Mark Gatiss,The Apprentice, Child Genius, Newsnight, BBC Artsnight, Who Do You Think You Are and a number of BBC 4 and Sky Arts documentaries.

We try to be as flexible with filming as possible. We can sometimes accommodate smaller daytime shoots in the back stacks and other quieter parts of the Library. Likewise, The Sackler Study and Times Room can occasionally be made available at the start and end of the working day for short filming sessions. But we need to make sure minimum disruption is caused to our members.

As a result of this, we aim to only host filming during hours the Library is closed, and therefore usually provide access during the following hours:

7.30am-9.30am Monday to Friday

5.30pm-10.30pm Wednesday to Saturday

7.30am-10.30pm Sunday

Weekend filming is typically available through special arrangement for larger shoots. At the discretion of the Library, we are sometimes able to set up on Saturday evenings and leave equipment overnight so that filming can be done first thing Sunday morning.

As a charity receiving no public funding we charge fees which vary depending on the size and complexity of each shoot, which includes our cost for staff overtime to help co-ordinate the filming and provide out of hours access to the building.

Rates start at:

Weekdays: £350 (ex VAT) for the first hour and £250 (ex VAT) for subsequent hours

Weekends: subject to negotiation

Please note these are starting rates and final quote will depend on the complexity and size of the shoot.

View the spaces on offer at The London Library

Or watch a video to see inside the Library: