The London Library is an independent lending library in London, established in 1841. It was founded on the initiative of Thomas Carlyle, who was dissatisfied with some of the policies at the British Museum Library. It is located at 14 St James's Square, in the St James's area of the City of Westminster, which has been its home since 1845. Membership is open to all, on payment of an annual subscription, and life and corporate memberships are also available. As of December 2021 the Library had over 7000 members.
Entrance to the London Library in St James's Square
Thomas Carlyle by Robert Scott Tait, 31 July 1854
19th-century London Library book label
20th-century London Library book label designed by Reynolds Stone
A subscription library is a library that is financed by private funds either from membership fees or endowments. Unlike a public library, access is often restricted to members, but access rights can also be given to non-members, such as students.
Biblioteka Załuskich, built in Warsaw in the mid-18th century
The British Museum was established in 1751 and had a library containing over 50,000 books.
Circulating library and stationery shop, Gulgong, Australia, 1870
Atwater Library of the Mechanics Institute of Montreal