Step beyond Yorkshire's familiar landscapes and into its shadowy past with Paranormal Yorkshire, the captivating new book by Meryl James. From ancient manor houses and medieval castles to lonely bridges, theatres, museums and wild coastal stretches, Yorkshire is rich in stories of ghostly encounters and unexplained phenomena. Drawing on tales from across the county, the […]

This talk will examine the historic account of the haunting that occurred at the Leeds Library in the 1880s, looking at the individuals involved in the case and why in fact a librarian needed a gun! Fast forward to the 1960s, what did former president of the library—the controversial Trevor Hall—uncover when he re-examined the […]

Have you ever walked past The Leeds Library on Commercial Street 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 […]

Two Ghost Stories by M R James • Performed by R M Lloyd Parry “Didn't you see it? A thing like a man? Hair all over him? And two great eyes to it? You’re telling me you didn’t see that? Well you count yourself lucky, lad. You count yourself lucky…” Cathedrals are seats of terror in […]

The Make ‘em Laugh 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.  

How did a 20th Century German art school that existed for only fourteen years become a pioneering centre for art and design? Why are modern chairs made from steel tubing? What makes road signs so easy to read? And what links twentieth-century textiles, furniture, ceramics and typography? The answers to these questions lead back to […]

Using audio examples from a range of radio and oral history projects, we'll explore 9 varieties of humour that could be cultivated in interview situations, from awkward pauses to word duels to happy accidents or chanting the ridiculous. This talk will draw on ideas and examples by people such as: Soren Kierkegaard, Simone Weil, Henri Bergson, Italo […]

Books and Bubbles Librarian's tour of The Leeds Library: Exclusive, in-depth tours of the library and its treasures with one of our librarians and a glass of fizz* Take the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes tour of the oldest surviving subscription library in the country. You’ll be guided by one of our librarians, and invited to […]