From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The London Library is the world's largest independent lending library. It was founded in 1841 by Thomas Carlyle, who was dissatisfied with some of the policies at the British Library. The library's building stands at the north-west corner of St. James's Square, as it has since 1845, after it briefly occupied the first floor of the Travellers Club at 49 Pall Mall.

While library founder Thomas Carlyle may have had dissatisfaction with the British Library as his initial impetus, he had the further aim of enabling subscribers to enjoy library books in their own homes.

The library maintains a clublike atmosphere, and boasts roughly 8000 members and over one million books, which can be borrowed or browsed in open stacks. A book mailing service is also available to members outside of London, including international members. The library collects books in all areas, with special emphasis on the arts and humanities. It acquires approximately 8,000 new titles a year and subscribes to about 850 current periodicals. Membership is open to all, upon payment of an annual fee.

The London Library is a self-supporting, independent institution. Its 8,000 members are largely private individuals, although some 250 corporate bodies also belong. It is a registered charity whose sole aim is the advancement of education, learning, and knowledge. Incorporated by Royal Charter, it has its own bylaws and the power to make or amend its rules. It has a royal patron, an elected president and vice-presidents, and is administered by an elected board of trustees numbering no more than 15 including the chairman and the honorary treasurer.

The politician the Earl of Clarendon was the library's first president, Thackeray was its first auditor, and Gladstone and Sir Edward Bunbury were on the first committee.

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, Lord 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.

Within the library's emphasis on the humanities, its collections are strong within the fields of literature, history, fine and applied art, architecture, philosophy, religion, topography, and travel. The social sciences are more lightly covered. Pure and natural sciences, technology, medicine and law are not within the library's purview, although it has some books in all of those fields; books on their histories are normally acquired. Periodicals and annuals on a wide range of subjects are collected.

Although there have been some losses—war damage carried off a number of books in 1944, and in 1970 the library's few 15th century books or incunabula were sold—the London Library has retained most of the books it has acquired since it was founded in 1841.

• The London Library - Further information on the library, including its online catalogue.