Description

Step inside The Leeds Library for a tour of our beautiful Grade II* listed building and its breath-taking collection. Discover the hidden past of the oldest subscription library of its kind in the UK, and find out about our plans for the future…

Founded in 1768 and located in the heart of Leeds City Centre, The Leeds Library made its home in its current Grade II* listed building in 1808 and is the oldest cultural institution in Leeds. As well as an historic collection dating back to the Library’s foundation (including rare and unique books), the Library has a contemporary collection, offering access to online courses, audio books, DVDs and CDs, an eBook library, and a wide range of academic journals.

From ghost stories and gas jets to hidden lifts and spiral staircases, a world of discovery awaits you….

A note about accessibility. Our building has a stair lift seat from the foyer to the Library on the first floor, but we are unable to install a through-floor lift because of the building’s Grade II* listed status. If you are able to transfer from a wheelchair onto the stair lift seat, we can carry your wheelchair upstairs if that’s possible. Unfortunately, our toilets do not have step-free access and there is no disabled toilet at this time. We welcome assistance dogs and assistance dogs-in-training, and also offer free access for carers accompanying a Library Member.

There are plans in place to install a through-floor lift in 2023 and we are committed to making our listed building fully accessible as soon as we can.