London Library Campaign Group

Many Members choose The London Library for its atmosphere. Whether they are drawn in by the chic, modern Lightwell Reading Room (recipient of a RIBA award ; featured in adverts and feature films), by the Art Room, by the close and mysterious back stacks (featured on TV), by the spacious and elegant Reading and Stoppard rooms, or by any number of the small nooks (including ones which allow telephone usage and ones which forbid computer use entirely) which the Library offers its members to work in. The London Library is an inviting space to work, study, research, and meet.

The management’s current plans include replacing the award-winning Lightwell room with a lift. They claim that this is necessary for disability compliance, but we as Members have questions about this: there is already provision to take Members with additional needs around the library, with both the main lift and the T S Eliot House lift. These lifts are additionally well-furnished for any event taking place in the library, and any change risks chipping away at the Library’s character, with limited gain. The Lightwell room has only been open for 15 years; the Library has operated in its current premises for 180 years. Members would like to enjoy it for decades to come.

Management claim that the extension of the Members’ Area to include a garden café will enable the library to become a social hub. We propose that Members already have a place to meet: the 6th floor. The Library is not a “junior Groucho club” – such institutions already exist. We are a space for research. Many members are students and faculty of universities across London and beyond, and currently choose this space above the one to which they have free access.

The proposed café may sell alcoholic drinks and hot food. As such, there is a concern of the smell of food permeating the workspaces and the book storage, as well as changing the atmosphere of the Library from that of a serious institution to something akin to Soho House . Some Members are concerned about the preoccupation with catering facilities in the plans and question why we are gaining multiple dedicated spaces for food and preparation, when we require an additional 180m of shelf space per year to house our growing collection. Space for books should remain the priority.

1. 

   I attended the AGM in November so I could hear the arguments against the development plan, having picked up the…

2. 

   I AGREE THAT A FEW MORE ARMCHAIRS IN THE READING ROOM WOULD BE DESIRABLE, BUT NOT IF THIS WOULD REDUCE…

3. 

   I agree.we should build up the endowment fund and not engage in further building projects least of all a cafe,and…

4. 

   Is creating a café and roof terrace a sensible way to raise money for the Library? The management’s justification for…

5. 

   I’m a very new member, having made three visits so far, so I venture my opinions tentatively, but have spent…