Rules of The London Library
INTRODUCTION
The London Library is a charity constituted by a Royal Charter and Byelaws, its overall governing documents. These in turn give the Trustees power to establish Rules that enable the Library to achieve its purpose in supporting scholarship, creativity and cultural enrichment as effectively as possible. The Rules are subject to review from time to time and the Trustees will ensure that the Rules or extracts from them are brought to the attention of members in a timely and appropriate manner.
The Rules cover three main areas:
A Categories of membership
B Admission to the Library
C Use of the Library
A. CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP
PERSONAL MEMBERSHIP
A1. Personal memberships are not transferable and the rights of members may not be assigned or shared. In particular, when using the electronic resources available through membership of the Library, members must comply with the terms of the licences under which access to these resources is provided. In the event of illness or incapacity of a member or in other exceptional circumstances, the Director may authorise such arrangements for access to the Library as he or she thinks are appropriate in accordance with Byelaw 10. For the purposes of these Rules, and for the avoidance of any doubt, references to the Director means the Director of the London Library and has the same meaning as the “Librarian”, as defined in the Charter and Byelaws.
A2. Personal members shall each be entitled to have on loan up to 15 volumes at any one time. Members who wish to borrow more than 15 volumes may upon extra payment claim an additional number of volumes up to a maximum allowance of 40 volumes at any one time.
Annual Personal Membership
A3. Full Annual members shall be admitted to full membership of the Library, which includes the right to vote at General Meetings and to be considered as a candidate for the office of Trustee, Chair of Trustees or Treasurer.
A4. Associate Annual members shall be admitted to membership of the Library with the same book borrowing rights and eLibrary access as Full members but limited access to the Library building as described in the benefits of Associate membership. Associate Annual members do not have the right to vote at General Meetings or to be considered as a candidate for the office of Trustee, Chair of Trustees or Treasurer.
- Remote Access Annual members shall be admitted to membership of the Library with the same book borrowing rights and eLibrary access as Full members but no access to the Library building. Remote Access Annual members do not have the right to vote at General Meetings or to be considered as a candidate for the office of Trustee, Chair of Trustees or Treasurer.
A6. The annual fee shall be payable on admission to membership on such terms and conditions as are currently in force. A member paying his or her subscription in instalments s hall be liable for payment of the balance of the annual fee if the associated payment arrangement is cancelled before the end of the subscription year.
A7. At the end of the subscription year a member shall be liable for payment of the subscription unless he or she has given notice of his or her intention to resign the membership and has returned all books or other library materials. If a member fails to pay his or her subscription or subscription instalment within 3 months of its due date, membership shall be terminated.
A8. The spouse or partner of an annual or life member may be admitted to full annual membership of the Library upon payment of a fee which shall be the ordinary annual fee less an a mount proposed by the Trustees.
A9. Young people between the ages of 16 and 29 (inclusive) may be admitted to full annual membership of the Library upon payment of a fee which shall be the ordinary annual fee less an amount proposed by the Trustees.
A10. Any member or prospective member over the age of 29 for whom the full annual subscription would be a real barrier to membership may apply for Supported membership and, if successful, m a y be admitted to an nu a l membership of t h e Library u po n payment of a fee which shall be the ordinary annual fee less an amount agreed by the Director
Life membership
A11. Life membership of the Library may be taken out by any member or intending member who is at least 16 years of age by payment of a single fee calculated according to the age of the applicant. Evidence of the applicant's age may be required. Life members shall be admitted to full membership of the Library which includes the right to vote at General Meetings and to be considered as a candidate for the office of Trustee, Chair of Trustees or Treasurer.
Temporary Overseas Visitor Membership
A12. Temporary membership of the Library may be taken out for a 4-month period by visitors from overseas with no permanent address in the United Kingdom upon payment of a fee which shall be haIf the ordinary annual fee. In addition to the subscription fee a deposit of half the ordinary annual fee shall be payable on admission, refundable at the expiry of the membership or earlier, provided that the membership card has been surrendered and all loans have been returned. Temporary overseas visitor members shall be entitled to the usual privileges of membership except that they may not vote at a General Meeting or stand as a candidate for election as a Trustee, Chair of Trustees or Treasurer.
Temporary Tickets
A13. A limited number of temporary tickets may be made available for non-members. Tickets may be issued on payment of the fee prescribed for the time being and under such other conditions as the Trustees shall from time to time consider appropriate. Holders of such tickets shall not be entitled to any of the privileges of membership beyond the use of the Library's collections on the premises of the Library as directed by staff.
INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
A14. Any institution, association, organisation or other body may be admitted to full membership on payment of the annual fee currently in force for that category and notification of the name of the person who is to act as the designated representative of the institution.
A15. An institutional member shall be liable for payment of the annual subscription unless the designated representative has given notice of intention to resign the membership and has returned all books or other library materials. If payment is not received within 3 months of its due date, membership shall be terminated.
A16. The designated representative may visit the Library in person and permit books and other materials belonging to the Library to be used by the members or employees of the body which he or she represents only on the premises of that body, unless that body is a public library. Through its designated representative, the institution shall remain responsible for the safe custody of all materials so used and for compliance with the terms of the licences under which access to electronic resources is provided. Books borrowed by representatives of libraries shall be subject to any additional rules of those libraries during the period of the loan.
A17. The designated representative may cast one vote on behalf of the institutional member at General Meetings and may be considered as a candidate for the office of Trustee, Chair of Trustees or Treasurer.
Institutions with 10 or more staff or members
A18. The designated representative may appoint up to 2 nominees from the same institution to exercise jointly the privileges of membership in accordance with Rule A16. The designated representative may change the nominees at any time by notifying the Membership Office in writing of the proposed change.
A19. Registered charities and educational bodies may be admitted to full institutional
membership of the Library upon payment of a fee which shall be the ordinary annual institutional fee less an amount proposed by the Trustees.
A20. Institutional with 10 of more staff or members shall each be entitled to have on loan up to 20 volumes at any one time.Institutional members who wish to borrow more than 20 volumes may upon extra payment claim an additional number of volumes up to a maximum allowance of 40 volumes at any one time. The charge for such additional volumes shall be reduced for registered charities and educational bodies by an a mount proposed by the Trustees.
Institutions with fewer than 10 staff or members
A21. Institutions with fewer than 10 staff or members may be admitted to full institutional membership of the Library upon payment of a fee which shall be the ordinary annual personal membership fee plus an amount proposed by the Trustees. The size of the institution shall be determined by that of the whole institution and not any particular constituent part.
A22. The designated representative may appoint one nominee from the same institution to exercise jointly t h e privileges of membership in accordance wit h Rul e A1 6. The d esi g nated representative may change the nominee at any time by notifying the Membership Office in writing of the proposed change.
A23. Institutional members with fewer than 10 staff or members shall each be entitled to have on loan up to 20 volumes at any one time. Institutional members who wish to borrow more than 20 volumes may upon extra payment claim an additional number of volumes up to a maximum allowance of 40 volumes at any one time. The charge for such additional volumes shall be the amount payable by ordinary annual personal members plus an amount proposed by the Trustees.
Public libraries
A24. In the case of public library authorities, the Trustees may propose a special fee related to the specific number of books required in place of the normal institutional membership fee.
A25. The designated representative of a public library may visit the Library in person and make use of the Library's electronic resources. The representative may also appoint a nominee but may not vote at general meetings or be considered as a candidate for Trusteeship.
Suspension of Membership Categories
A26. The Trustees may at any time suspend admission to any category of membership or the rights, privileges and conditions associated with it if they deem it to be in the Library's interests to do so.
B. ADMISSION TO THE LIBRARY
B1 . All personal members and representatives of institutional members (and their nominees) shall permit the Library to take their photograph for use on membership cards so that their identity can be readily verified when visiting the Library.
B2. New members wishing to collect their membership card in person and all applicants for temporary tickets must bring with them 2 forms of identification: a photo I D and a proof of address.
B3. Membership cards remain the property of the Library at all times. Members shall bring their cards with them each time they visit the Library and must inform the Library immediately if the card is lost or stolen or there has been any change to their contact details.
B4. Members may sign in visitors at the Reception desk if they wish to give them a brief one-off tour of the Library but visitors may not make independent use of the Library. Members who wish to bring visitors to use the Library’s collection may purchase a temporary ticket for one day or one week.
B5. Members may not use the Library as a postal address or contact point for the receipt of other communications.
B6. The Director reserves the right to refuse re-admission to lapsed members with a previous record of non-payment, outstanding book loans or other breaches of the Library's Rules.
C. USING THE LIBRARY
C1. The days and hours for opening and closing the Library shall be at the discretion of the Trustees and shall be advertised on the Library's website. In extreme circumstances such as severe weather, security alerts or transport strikes, the Director reserves the right to close at short notice or otherwise adjust the hours of opening.
For safety and security
C2. All bags and cases (in c luding laptop cases and large handbags) measuring more than 29 x 21 x 10cm (about the size of an A4 sheet of paper and the depth of a hardback book) must be left at the lockers provided in the Issue Hall and may not be taken beyond that point. Clear plastic bags in which to carry laptop, pens and pencils and other essential items into the Library are freely available at Reception.
C3. Personal property may not be left in the Library overnight except, if any, in those lockers designated for longer term use. Items left unattended in the Library may be removed to a place designated for lost property. Lost property will be retained for a period of three months and then disposed of if the owner cannot be contacted or fails to collect it.
C4. Members shall not obstruct entrances, fire exits or passageways nor create trip hazards. Access to the roof is restricted to emergencies only.
- In the event of an emergency, members should follow the instructions of Library staff and in the event of a fire-alarm activation leave the building promptly by the nearest exit.
Use of the collections
C6. The normal loan period for books and bound periodicals shall be two months, after which time the member shall return the volumes or may renew their loan if they are not wanted by a not h er mem be r. Recently acquired books m ay be borrowed for 14 days and t heir loan ma y be renewed if the volumes are not wanted by another member. If a member wishes to continue renewing the loan of any volume indefinitely, it must be returned to the Library for on-site renewal at least once every 12 months until finally returned. If the member fails to return a volume for on-site renewal after 12 months, no other book shall be issued to him or her until the requested volume has been so returned and, if not returned within one month of the date of request, the member shall be liable for the full cost of replacing the book.
C7. If a member requests a volume that has been on loan to another member for one month (14 days in the case of recently acquired books) or longer, the member possessing the volume must return it within ten days of notice being issued by the Library. If the member fails to return the requested volume, no other book shall be issued to him or her until the requested volume has been returned and, if not returned within one month of the date of request, the member shall be liable for the full cost of replacing the book.
- The Director may name classes of books, or any particular books, which shall either not be taken out of the Library at all, or which shall be taken out only under special conditions to be determined by the Director.
C9. A member wishing to borrow books by post shall leave a deposit for postal charges at the Library and renew it on request when it has been spent. The member shall be liable for the cost of postage of books from the time of issue from the Library to the time of return.
C10. No member shall upon any pretext whatever take out of the Library any book, pamphlet or periodical until the loan has been properly recorded by Library staff or self-issued via the Library’s kiosks.
Caring for the collections
C11. Members shall be responsible for the well-being of all items from the collection in their care whether on loan or during use in the Library and must take care to protect them from any practice which could damage them, including the making of any marks whether in pencil, pen or highlighter, the use of "Post-lt" notes (or similar) to mark pages, folding down the corners of pages, placing open books face down , or resting books where they may be exposed to excessive heat, light or humidity. Extra care shall be taken at home and when transporting volumes to and from the Library to keep them dry and well away from food, liquid, pets and other potential causes of damage.
C12. Members shall be liable for the full cost of an exact replacement of any book or of the work of which it is a part which shall be lost, damaged or defaced for whatever reason during the interval between its issue and return, unless the loss shall have been occasioned by the default of a n y person employed by t h e Library. Th e Library will acquire t h e replacements and t h e charges to members may be subject to a minimum amount or an administration fee; they may also include the cost of rebinding. The Librarian reserves the right to decline any replacement copies sourced directly by members.
C13. Any member who causes damage to the Library's fabric, furniture, fittings or equipment either deliberately or through default or negligence shall be liable for the cost of repair or replacement.
C14. The consumption or storage of food or drink (other than water in a screw-top container which must be kept securely closed when not in use) is not permitted anywhere in the Library except the Members' Room on the 6th floor. Hot and cold drinks are available in the Members' Room, and a water fountain is provided in the Issue Hall with conical cups for the use of members.
Consideration for others
C15. Members should show due consideration for others when making use of the Library's facilities, observing the need for quiet in all areas adjacent to reader desks and treating fellow members, visitors and staff with courtesy at all times, including staff discharging their duty to enforce the Library's Rules. This expectation of courtesy also includes all members’ dealings with staff over the telephone or in writing. Unacceptable behaviour includes, but is not limited to, any action that harasses, intimidates or otherwise abuses any other user or employee of the Library Details on reporting such rule breaches can be found on the Library’s website via the following link: londonlibrary.co.uk/members/contact-key-information
C16. The use of mobile devices for telephone calls or other audible communications (eg video conferencing) is not permitted anywhere in the Library except the 6th floor where light telephone use is allowed in the 6th floor suite of reading rooms and common spaces or longer calls in the telephone booths.
C17. Laptops and mobile devices may be used in silent mode for the processing or transmission of text or data except in The Study, where tablet and e-reader devices may be used for silent reading only and the use of all other electronic communication devices including personal audio equipment is prohibited. Even where the use of such equipment is permitted, sound reproduction must be limited to personal headphones and not broadcast by speaker. If the use of personal equipment of any kind disturbs other users, members may be asked to stop using it or to move to another location.
C18. Books from the stacks may be left on the designated Books Aside shelves in the main Reading Room and Writers' Room for ongoing consultation. A slip bearing the member's name, the number of volumes and the date they were left shall be included with all books. Books will be re-shelved by staff after 7 days unless the date on the slip has been changed. Books left on the Books Aside shelves may be removed by staff to satisfy requests from other members. Books from the stacks l eft anywhere else in the Library will be re -s helved by staff daily.
C.19 As per Byelaw 8 of the Library’s Byelaws “Any Member who makes use of the Library for purposes other than the advancement of education, learning or knowledge or commits a breach of the Rules of the Library may be removed from membership by the Director.”
Copying and printing
C20. In using the Library's reprographic facilities, members must comply with current UK copyright legislation and are personally liable for any copies made which might infringe intellectual property or other proprietary rights. Payment for copying and printing shall be made according to the procedures and charges prescribed.
C21. For preservation reasons, 'double page' photocopies may not be made from any item within the Library's collections.
Filming and photography
C22. Photography is permitted within the Library only with prior permission from Library staff, who will have regard to the preservation of the Library's books and other property. Images may be used only for non-commercial research or private study.
C23. Photography of members, visitors or staff is not permitted without the express permission of the Library and individuals involved.
C24. Filming within the Library is not permitted without explicit prior authorisation from the
Library, and is subject to prescribed terms and charges.
Computers and other technical equipment
C53. Members must not infringe any current UK legislation, including the Computer Misuse Act 1990, either when using the Library's computer equipment or when using their own equipment in the Library. In particular members must not access illegal websites, nor may they seek or make use of unauthorised access to the Library's network or servers or to other members' data. The Library reserves the right to filter websites and services available via the WiFi network, and also reserves the right to ask members not to use any equipment likely to damage other members' WiFi access or the Library's electrical infrastructure.
Find the Library's Byelaws and Charter here.
