The London Library

The most excellent library in all of London, and so perhaps the country. This place is like a second home. The level of service that one receives for the price of membership is incredible. I would be happy to pay twice the price that I do. It is an excellent place to work, to read, to relax, etc. The collection is very interesting and one always comes away with books far more useful than could have reasonably been expected. It's possible to keep books for basically an unlimited amount of time, so long as nobody else request them. The staff go above and beyond to do their jobs, and uncommonly in the modern day they use common sense in all things rather than referring to 'policy'. I would recommend anyone involved in any kind of academia in London take up a membership.

The chief instigator in the Library's foundation was Thomas Carlyle.He had become frustrated by the facilities available at the British Museum Library, where he was often unable to find a seat (obliging him to perch on ladders), where he complained that the enforced close confinement with his fellow readers gave him a "museum headache", where the books were unavailable for loan, and where he found the library's collections of pamphlets and other material relating to the French Revolution and English Civil Warsinadequately catalogued. In particular, he developed an antipathy for the Keeper of Printed Books, Anthony Panizzi (despite the fact that Panizzi had allowed him many privileges not granted to other readers), and criticised him, as the "respectable Sub-Librarian", in a footnote to an article published in the Westminster Review. Carlyle's eventual solution, with the support of a number of influential friends, was to call for the establishment of a private subscription library from which books could be borrowed. The Earl of Clarendon was the Library's first President, William Makepeace Thackeray its first auditor, and William Gladstone and Sir Edward Bunbury sat on the first committee. The Belgian freedom fighter and former Louvain librarian Sylvain Van de Weyer was a vice-president from 1848 to 1874. (Van de Weyer's father-in-law Joshua Bates was a founder of the Boston Public Library in 1852.) A vigorous and long-serving presence in later Victorian times was Richard Monckton-Milnes, later Lord Houghton, a friend of Florence Nightingale. Dickens was among the founder members. In more recent times, Kenneth Clark and T. S. Eliot have been among the Library's presidents, and Sir Harold Nicolson, Sir Rupert Hart-Davis and the Hon Michael Astor have been Chairmen. (Sir) Charles Hagberg Wright, who served as Secretary and Librarian from 1893 to 1940, is remembered as "the real architect of the London Library as it is today". He oversaw the rebuilding of its premises in the 1890s, the re-cataloguing and rearrangement of its collections under its own unique classification system, and the publication of its catalogue in 1903, with a second edition in 1913–14 and later supplements. In 1957 the Library suddenly received a demand from the Westminster City Councilfor rates (despite being registered as a tax-free charity), and the Inland Revenue was also involved. At that time, most publishers donated free copies of their books to the library. The final appeal was turned down by the Court of Appeal in 1959, and a letter in The Times of 5 November from the President and Chairman (T. S. Eliot and Rupert Hart-Davis) appealed for funds. An auction of manuscripts from many authors on 22 June 1960 raised £17,000 and £25,000 respectively; enough to clear debts and legal expenses of £20,000. At the sale T. E. Lawrence items from his brother fetched £3,800, Eliot's The Waste Land fetched £2,800, and Lytton Strachey's Queen Victoria £1,800, though 170 inscribed books and pamphlets from John Masefield fetched only £200, which Hart-Davis thought "shamefully low". The Queen and Queen Mother both gave some rare and valuable old books. In the 1990s, the Library was one of a number of academic and specialist libraries targeted by serial book thief William Jacques. The identification of several rare books put up for auction as having been stolen from the Library led the police to investigate Jacques and to his eventual prosecution and conviction. Security measures at the Library have since been improved..

Tranquil and quiet environment to read and learn.

Beautiful library, neat, well organised and full of great books to chose from. ????????????????

A little bit eerie because of old books, but definitely be loved by bookworms/book lovers because of miles of miles of books to read.

I never visited this beautiful place but that will be my dream to come there and read those books.i love libraries and books.let see if I ever got a chance to get a look of yours.

Lots of academic books that cannot be gotten anywhere else. The most excellent library in all of London!

The most excellent library in all of London, and so perhaps the country. This place is like a second home. The level of service that one receives for the price of membership is incredible. I would be happy to pay twice the price that I do. It is an excellent place to work, to read, to relax, etc. The collection is very interesting and one always comes away with books far more useful than could have reasonably been expected. It's possible to keep books for basically an unlimited amount of time, so long as nobody else request them. The staff go above and beyond to do their jobs, and uncommonly in the modern day they use common sense in all things rather than referring to 'policy'. I would recommend anyone involved in any kind of academia in London take up a membership. My only suggestion for improvement is to extend the opening hours. Currently there is a very strange policy where one has to check in advance the opening hours on Wednesdays. I only really go on Mondays and Tuesdays, when the library is open until 21:00. On other days, it closes at 17:30, which means coming out of the serene library into rush hour in central London. Even being open until 18:30 or 19:00 would be immensely better for me. However I understand that (like everything) the library is finding ways to cut running costs so that I understand that this may not be an option.

Look I like to book to read

Plenty of scientific and other literature like handbooks, e-books and articles from famous journals and magazines (also available in PDF), quick access for many international libraries and archives

Great library and peaceful. Staff are lovely.

Beautiful old library that had often very famous people in ☺️

I am Srilankan person. One day I will get my old country books.that is srilankan people's ownership..

Absolutely beautiful

Beautiful place the best library in London. Spent a lot of time here and I will miss it.

Very good. I found exactly what I was looking for.

Amazing place - you can really breathe history inside these walls! We had business dinner at the library and it was fab: great food, five stars service and premium visit.

I picked some rare collection here. Very well maintained library with essential stuffs.

When it comes to libraries this is London's absolute best. Yes you have to be a member in order to take advantage of the services but in my opinion that is the right way to do it. One feature that I find very convenient is the option to visit their website and search for the book you need and if it is available you can book it. That spares me a lot of effort and makes the whole process a lot more easier. And with their exceptional array of over a million books you can be quite sure that you'll find what you are looking for.

Beautiful

Another library that I always enjoy visiting! The London Lib is really helpful. I saw a lot of other individuals from different ages visiting this lib and it was really amazing that a lot of us still wants to learn more and more and more! Keep the good work The London Library and keep supplying us with new and fresh information.

I am a book lover and I really appreciate places with great books and learning materials like The London Library. This place is definitely one of the best place in London for me! The London Library can bring you to different places, discover different cultures and reveal a lot of hidden facts.

I Went to a question and answer talk with the author of the new David Bowie book. The library has talks through out the year with a host of different authors.

A hidden gem, and likely to remain one. This members-only library is frequented by people you suspect never leave. A great collection in a maze of fascinating rooms. If you love learning, you'll love this place.

Well that was a wasted day I won't get back. Entry is over £400, although they will be happy for you to return any time over the next year. I find the idea of a private library curious, but if they do wish to keep the riff-raff out and cannot see the virtue of offering day passes, then they should make it much clearer in their advertising that they do not welcome visitors.

The London Library is a very helpful library to all. I always encourage my kids to visit here to check literary books and other interesting reading materials that they can read and enjoy. Now my kids are bringing their friends here whenever they are free.

I would agree with everything that the other reviewers have said. It is a paradise for book lovers and there are books there that you would have a hard time in getting anywhere else, hence my joining. The staff cannot do enough to help you and the place is quiet and a lovely place to relax. Yes the membership is £38 a month but if you are unable to afford that you can apply for subsidised membership so that you can use their facilities for a reduced rate. I am in straightened circumstances at the moment, applied and explained this and they gave me membership at a lower rate.

My most favourite place in London, and therefore, the world. I spend many a day working in here, with frequent breaks exploring the stacks or to read a random find. Fab staff, a magical, magical place.

Staff were wonderful and dealt with my request in the most professional manner

Absolutely beautiful library with so much history -- and miles and miles of books. Be warned that you have to book a day pass in advance to actually get to see the place, because it's membership only!

I love spending my time here even now. I always encouraged my kids to visit The London Library and check out what they can learn from materials that can be found in here.

The best library I know. Hard to find another like this one. I love to spend my time here. So many books to be read and so little time.

My favourite place in London. A library like no other. If Carlsberg did libraries ... Yes it is a members only library but anyone can join. An astounding array of books, over a million housed on 16 miles of shelves and once you have joined you can take them, ten at a time, and enjoy them in your own home. I have borrowed countless volumes that I couldn't have borrowed anywhere else. Membership is around the price of Sky Sports, I cancelled Sky and haven't looked back. They do free tours on Monday evenings for potential members, check their website.

This is one great library that will enlighten and inspire a lot of people. With its vast collection of books and reading materials, you will surely enjoy and learn a lot.

good place to just relax and enjoy a good book, full of all different types of authors and also go onto the computers and enjoy the internet and catch up on your stuff on there. i like to go there just to relax and have a bit of me time with a good book i like. i woud recommend people to go there and just enjoy people respecting others and the piece and quiet.

This is a members only library, and therefor a poor place to go if you're from out of town and just looking for a quiet spot, although the staff are helpful.

Not that big but it is ok

Private library!! Am sure its great if you're a member and is based in a Lovely building, however not much use for the rest of us.

I have always loved libraries and this was in London doesn't disappoint. Great to enjoy the books.

You need to keep yer libraries open extended hours. It should be 24/7 in a place like this. But I'm really complaining about Boston. I don't know if I'm really going to get into the Google reviewer Local Tour Guide progrM so I just think that $80,000,000 USD is a ripoff for the Boston library. The tourists are too cheap to bother to take photos at the Vatican so they take photos at the Boston Copley main public library. They bring in their Apple computers and sit perched under the desks and the city could have saved the $80,000,000 GDP of many nations in 2016 by just paying their wifi bills. The dopes look down on the real hobos of Boston who are trying to get jobs

Lovely library for the members but needs to keep up with the changing times.

Absolutely the most mystical place I know in England. The Chicken Coop of the Muses.

Being a reader of poetry thought I'D share this with others.

A quiet and relaxing place to soothe yourself with a good book.

Please note that the information for this listing is incorrect and this is The King's Fund library, NOT the London Library. If you are looking for the London Library, it is located at 14 St James's Square.

nice place a great collection of books.

Old building and useful library.

It’s alright

I have read about it a lot in my google searches.

It's not open to non number as I could only sit at the door and wait for the rain stop.