London Library Campaign Group

4 responses to “Necessity”

1. 

   futuristicsoulb10d7075a9

   Nov 4, 2025

   I have been a member for two years now. I thought long and hard about joining because, let’s face it, it’s not cheap and I wasn’t sure I would use it enough to justify the outlay. But one thing that definitely did not sway my decision was the availability or not of barista-made oatmilk cappucino!

   I would love to know whose bright idea it was that putting a Costa concession in-house is going to suddenly entice 800 new members. Yes, the sixth-floor suite does have all the charm of the staff room in a 1970s polytechnic, but who really cares? People use the library for serious research, for a calm place to write and the sheer delight of acquiring serendipitious knowledge. If you want to nip out for a coffee and a croissant, there are no shortage of places nearby.

   And as for shoehorning another lift into the Lightwell, – really? I have yet to see queues of people waiting for the existing one and surely it’s big enough for wheelchair users? And while it’s obviously a good thing to improve accessibility, with the best will in the world how much more accessible can you make the laybrinth of the Back Stacks? It sounds like a multi-million pound exercise in virtue-signalling to me.

   Yes, a fancy ‘Member’s Room’ would a nice-to-have, but if I want that I can use the one in the British Library, where I am also a member, for a fraction of the price here.

   If the management really want to splash the cash, they might start by getting a decent wi-fi upgrade throughout the building.

   Point me to the protest march, comrades!

   Peter Rose

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   1. 

      Kitty Shaw

      Nov 6, 2025

      A great point, Peter! There are so many options in central London for library plus coffee, and the kettles are doing just fine for those of us with more Spartan tastes. Perhaps a bag of plain metal spoons and forks would not go amiss, but we don’t need a building project so much as a walk to Nisbets.

      A wifi upgrade is a strong suggestion. I personally would have the Library buy some new armchairs if they’re desperate to spend money – the ones in the reading room could be in better shape, and are often full.

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2. 

   collectivepractically0f45ec297f

   Nov 14, 2025

   Is creating a café and roof terrace a sensible way to raise money for the Library?

   The management’s justification for the new café and roof terrace is it believes they will help recruit 800 new members to the Library within three years. These new members are needed to boost the Library’s income from membership subscriptions, which currently cover only 65% of operating costs. If the 800 new members materialised and each subscribed at the full rate of just under £600 p.a., the Library’s operating income from subs would increase by c£480,000 or 16% p.a. 

   That is the most optimistic scenario. How realistic is it? 

   Philip Marshall bases his expectation of 800 new members on two recent years when numbers increased by over 300, in 2020 and 2022. In 2020, though, the increase was overwhelmingly thanks to the new membership categories of Remote Access (32% of the increase) and Associate (27%) and an increase in Young Members (30%). In 2022 there was – exceptionally – an increase in full members (+130) but even that was outstripped by new Young Members (+174). Overall, as the Library’s figures show, the average net annual increase in all membership over the last ten years is just 88, with members paying the full subscription actually declining in recent years from 4,185 (2020) to 4,098 (2025).  

   The problem with the other categories of membership is that such members pay less. Young Persons and Spouses/Partners pay half the full rate, a remote member pays 44%, Associates pay 63% (£360). In total, in the year 2024-25, 29% of members paid less than the full rate, with 24% paying only half or less than half. That means that Philip Marshall’s 800 new members are likely to generate operating income not of £480,000 but £413,000, 14% less. 

   But how likely is this number of 800 new members to be achieved? The average increase over the last 10 years has been 88 new members per annum. If that trend continued, the total by year 3 of the post-café Library would be 264 new members, a long way from 800. (These 264 new members would generate additional income of £136,350 pa). But let’s suppose the new café, terrace, meeting room and so on did exert their anticipated powers of attraction and the number of new members doubled, say, over the three years. The result would be 528 new members by year 3, producing additional operating income for the Library of £272,700 p.a., a 9% increase on the income from subscriptions in 2024-25 of £3,002,521. 

   So is the game worth the candle? The Board’s estimated cost for Phase 2 of the Building Connections plan is £5 million. The Library is therefore planning to spend millions of pounds to achieve an increase in annual operational income of, optimistically, £272,700 a year. Isn’t this a hugely expensive and damaging way of raising this sum, given that many members are unpersuaded of the merits of the new café, roof terrace and lift? Aren’t there simpler ways of increasing income than a major construction project? 

   The Library’s own accounts indicate one better alternative. Income from donations, legacies and grants in 2024-25 amounted to £2,864,233, only a fraction below the income from all membership subscriptions. This supports the contention of several members of our group, including myself, that the Library board should be directing all its effort into raising money from these sources – legacies, and donations from charitable institutions and individuals – rather than embarking on unnecessary, costly and disruptive construction projects (the plans for which, incidentally, include only 9 new readers’ desks for the projected 800 new members). 

   Surely the Trustees should drop Phase 2 of the Building Connections project, as a completely misguided way of trying to increase membership and income, and just carry on pursuing the tried-and-tested ways of raising money, in which they have this year proved so successful? 

   Tony Wells 

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3. 

   pac0c4ae2963a21

   Nov 20, 2025

   I AGREE THAT A FEW MORE ARMCHAIRS IN THE READING ROOM WOULD BE DESIRABLE, BUT NOT IF THIS WOULD REDUCE DESK SPACE.THIS MUST BE ONE OF THE VERY FEW LIBRARIES WHICH IS QUIET ENOUGH FOR ONE TO TAKE A SHORT NAP IN THE COMFORTABLE LEATHER ARMCHAIRS.

   PHILIP CHAPMAN

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