A unique way to connect with the collection
Containing over one million volumes and with around 6,000 new titles added every year, the London Library’s book collection is a unique and evolving resource, developed through 180 years of careful thought.
Adopting or sponsoring a book is the perfect way to share in and support this rich collection. Choose a favourite book to adopt or pick from our list of sponsorship options. All funds go towards the care of the collection.
Adopt a Book £175/£250
Choose any book on our open access shelves to adopt in your name, or as a gift for someone else.
Whether it’s a childhood favourite, a recent find, a beloved classic or simply a book that is special to you, adopting a book from our collection is a unique way of celebrating a personal relationship with a written work.
You will receive:
- A permanent bookplate with the adopter’s name inside your chosen book
- A printed certificate confirming your adoption
- A letter of thanks from our Collection Care team
- A discount on London Library membership
- A tour of the Library for the adopter and a guest (higher fee applies)
Once acquired, we almost never get rid of a book, so adopting a book creates a lasting connection with the Library.
Browse the catalogue here to find a book to adopt.
Sponsor a Book £30
Since 1841, The London Library and its book collections have provided inspiration and support for writers of all kinds. If you would like to contribute to the care and maintenance of the collection, sponsoring a book for yourself or as a gift is an ideal way to do so. Choose from a selection of titles spanning the Library’s history, all written by Library members.
A S Byatt – Possession: A Romance (1990)
Possession begins in The London Library, a place described in the novel as ‘shabby but civilised’.
Angela Carter – The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories (1979)
Angela Carter’s Gothic reworkings of classic fairytales are a feminist and literary classic.
Ian Fleming – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1963)
The tenth James Bond book features a cameo from a London Library book.
Antonia Fraser – The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1992)
This account of the Tudor king and his six wives is one of Library Vice President Antonia Fraser’s most popular biographies.
Kazuo Ishiguro – The Remains of the Day (1989)
Ishiguro’s subtle, revealing novel was inspired by a book found while browsing the Library’s stacks.
CLR James – Beyond a Boundary (1963)
Often called the best book on sports ever written, this work marries memoir with social history.
Patrick Leigh Fermor – A Time of Gifts (1977)
When he was 18, Patrick Leigh Fermor walked from the Hook of Holland to Istanbul, and forty-four years later recounted this journey in A Time of Gifts.
Virginia Woolf – A Room of One’s Own (1929)
First given as a pair of lectures, this book-length essay by Virginia Woolf is a landmark text in feminist literary theory.
You will receive:
- A personalised digital sponsorship certificate containing information about your chosen book
- A follow-up communication from our Collection Care team detailing some of the conservation work your sponsorship has contributed to
Sponsor a Book is coming soon
Please note:
- Although we endeavour to fulfil your book of choice for Adopt a Book, some books may already have existing bookplates. Where this occurs, we will suggest a suitable alternative
- Books in the special collections are not available for Adopt a Book
- Please allow up to three months for your bookplate to be placed in the book
- Tours must be booked in advance and are dependent on Library staff availability
Other ways to support the collection
If you are interested in making a one-off donation towards book acquisitions or conservation cost, please click here.
To set up a regular donation to support the purchase of books for the Library or make a larger donation to support the development and care of the collection, please contact our Development team directly on 020 7766 4795 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
