The Library will be closed all day on Friday 21 August to facilitate a significant commercial filming hire.  

Associate members are welcome to visit the building during opening hours on any day during the week commencing 17 August.  

As a charity, filming and venue hire is an essential revenue-generating source of income for the Library, helping to keep membership fees as affordable as possible.  The Library is only rarely closed for commercial filming of this scale, but on these occasions the income generated makes a valuable contribution to our work, supporting us in our mission to become the home of literary inspiration. Find out more about the Library as a much-desired film and TV location by reading our 'Screen Time' article (pg. 13) in the Spring 2023 London Library Magazine.

We will also be closed on Monday 31 August for the bank holiday and will open as normal on Tuesday 1 September. 

During these building closures, members can still use Catalyst to find and request books and access our huge collection of eResources.  

Should you wish to get in touch about the closure or provide any other feedback, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On 2 July, Library Vice-Presidents Dame Caroline Michel and Sir Tim Rice hosted our 2026 Summer Party for supporters of the Library. This annual event celebrates and thanks the vibrant community of people who support The London Library, as we are a registered charity and receive no public subsidy. 

With a theme of ‘(Lily the) Pink’, our atmospheric Reading Room was a sea of blush, peony and coral, as guests enjoyed the fine company and delicious wine, cocktails and canapés. The jubilant mood continued with a summery selection of poetic and dramatic readings by Sir Tim, Dame Harriet Walter, Allie Esiri, Jeanette Winterson, and Roger McGough, as well as performances by vocal quartet Cantabile.

We have recently added two new Collection Guides to our series: guides to the Newspaper collections and the Folklore, Mythology and Fantasy collections.

Pick one up at the Issue Desk in the Issue Hall, where you'll also find the rest of the series, or view the guides on our website.

View Collection Guides

We are delighted to announce the re-opening of the Times Room, which has been refurbished to introduce a display telling the story of The London Library’s founding, early history and development. Pages of The Times newspaper, which feature some important moments in the Library’s history have been reproduced, and a new display case will feature changing exhibitions drawing on our archives. The room has been repainted, the leather tops to the Baddeley case have been replaced and the lighting has been improved. 

The refurbishment has been possible thanks to the generous support of Elizabeth K. Belfer.

  1. The London Library Announces the 2026/27 Emerging Writers Programme Cohort
  2. The London Library opens the New Room
  3. The London Library Digital Archive
  4. The Times Room refurbishment
  5. The New Room opens

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