Explore the salacious side of the Victorians! The Sensation Novel, a popular form from the 1860s and 1870s, is a challenge to our assumptions about the Victorians. Far from being narratives about propriety and happy marriages, sensational plots are filled with crime, adultery, bigamy and misbehaviour. Join us for discussions of the key sensational novels […]

The Eruption and Corruption Season Please note that due to licensing restrictions, you must be a member of the Leeds Library to attend this screening, and we are not able to advertise details of the film publicly beforehand. Join fellow Members of the Library for an afternoon in front of the silver screen.

The Eruption of Corruption Season Please note that due to licensing restrictions, you must be a member of the Leeds Library to attend this screening, and we are not able to advertise details of the film publicly beforehand. Join fellow Members of the Library for an evening in front of the silver screen.

Test your general knowledge with your fellow members!  Test your knowledge and have some fun with your fellow members at the Leeds Library quiz. Devised by Jane, expect some questions about books...and films! A prize will be awarded for the winning team. No googling!  Teams are limited to a maximum of four. One member may […]

Have you ever walked past The Leeds Library and wanted to find out more about our beautiful building and its collection? ...Then book a free tour! The Leeds Library is the oldest-surviving members’ subscription library in the UK. Founded in 1768, the Library moved to its current purpose-built premises on Commercial Street in 1808, and […]

Unpicking assumptions in Victorian adventure stories  One of the most popular late nineteenth fictional forms was the adventure story, often set in the wilds of empire. In the words of Elaine Showalter, these were training manuals: ‘little boys who read become men who rule.’ In these talks we will explore with the explorers—in novels and […]

The Northern Season Please note that due to licensing restrictions, you must be a member of the Leeds Library to attend this screening, and we are not able to advertise details of the film publicly beforehand. Join fellow Members of the Library for an evening in front of the silver screen.

The Northern Season Please note that due to licensing restrictions, you must be a member of the Leeds Library to attend this screening, and we are not able to advertise details of the film publicly beforehand. Join fellow Members of the Library for an evening in front of the silver screen.