Planning permission has now been granted for Phase One of the Library's Building Connections project. Thanks to the generosity of all those who have supported the project, we have secured the required funds to move forward to the next stage and invite tenders from building contractors. We are aiming to start the building works in late July in order to be complete by the end of December 2025.

The new room on the ground floor will be a permanent, dedicated space for a wide variety of uses that focus on our public benefit remit as a charity, such as sixth-form school visits, meetings of our Emerging Writers, exhibitions and displays, and workshops with other charitable organisations. It will provide a venue for our member special interest groups to meet in, as well as hosting speaker events, discussions, and trustee meetings, and will also be available for private hire.

In addition to this, Phase One includes creating a basement kitchen, which will enable our event caterers to stop using the Study as a field kitchen and provide a consolidated storage area for our catering supplies.

Phase One will involve work in small, contained areas of the building, away from main reading rooms and most of the collection. The Library and its architects have long experience in keeping the Library open during works and keeping disruption to a minimum and this remains a priority.

The final design work is continuing while we move to the procurement phase. In the next few months, more detailed information about the plans, designs and building works will be on the website and we will keep members up to date in the member newsletter. Visit the project website for further information and detailed FAQs.

If you have any further questions or comments please get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..