Islington Libraries

Last updated

Islington Libraries
Islington Central Library (16237236403).jpg
LocationLondon, United Kingdom.
Branches10
Collection
Size146,526 [1]
Access and use
Access requirementsAnyone can join
Circulation530,267(2024/25) [2]
Population served250,000 [3]
Members23,472 (2024/25) [2]
Other information
DirectorMichelle Gannon
Website www.islington.gov.uk/libraries-arts-and-heritage/libraries

Islington Libraries constitute the public library service for the borough of Islington in London.

Contents

The service runs ten branch libraries, including the Central Library near Highbury and Islington station. It has operated libraries in the borough since 1906. [4]

As of the 2021 Census, 97% of Islington residents had a library within a 15-minute walk, the highest proportion in the country. [5]

History

1855-1921: Founding

Despite the passage of the Public Libraries Act of 1850, it took Islington until 1905 to establish its first public libraries. In that half century, there were a number of failed efforts to establish public libraries. [4]

A first attempt seems to have been made in 1855, when a public meeting was held at St. Mary's, to address a motion from an MP for Finsbury (Thomas Challis) for the establishment of a free public library system. The motion failed, upon objections that war taxation "had greviously burdened" people, and taxing poor ratepayers for the project would cause "more evil than good." [6] [7] Another attempt was made in 1874, when Professor Leone Levi proposed the formation of a free public library and museum -- the motion was rejected 1,435 to 338. [8]

In 1897, Passmore Edwards offered £5,000 for the building of a central library, and twice £2,500 for the building of two other library buildings, on the condition that Islingtonians agree to maintain the libraries. Passmore had helped fund libraries in other parts of London (such as in Shepherd's Bush, or Dulwich). In his offer, he lamented that:

"such a large and commanding parish like Islington, should have no such libraries, and particularly when so many other smaller and poorer parishes in London have adopted the Public Libraries Act, and provided themselves with libraries [... I] now leave the matter in the hands of the ratepayers of Islington, and hope they will practically act on it, and so be abreast of other London districts, in the promotion of a great education and ameliorative enterprise." [9]

By a majority of 3,075, Islington ratepayers rejected the proposal. [10]

North Library was the first Islington public library to open, in 1906 North Library, Manor Gardens, Islington, London (8484706829).jpg
North Library was the first Islington public library to open, in 1906

A few years later, plans for a central library and four branches were adopted, with the support of £40,000 from Andrew Carnegie. [4] [11] The system's first library, North Library, opened off of Holloway Road in 1906. [12] [13] By 1921, the system had expanded to also include the Central, West and South Libraries (all four considered Carnegie Libraries), [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] and to contain more than 95,000 volumes in its lending departments, as well as 10,000 works of reference. [19]

In 1908, Islington Chief Librarian James Duff Brown was invited by the Belgian Government to lecture in Brussels and Antwerp on British municipal libraries -- the first time an English librarian had been invited to give such a lecture on the Continent. [20] He closed his speech by noting that British municipal libraries deserved recognition for the "popularising of the book as a vehicle for conveying instruction, amusement, and conserving record." [21]

20th century: service expansion

Following the war, additional branch libraries opened, including a dedicated children's library. [16] [22] [23]

The passage of the Public Libraries and Museums Act of 1964 mandated that councils provide a "comprehensive and efficient library service" to all those "whose residence or place of work is within the library area of the authority or who are undergoing full-time education within that area". [24]

The 1965 merger of the borough of Finsbury into Islington led to Finsbury Library becoming the newest (and southernmost) public library in Islington upon its opening in 1967.

In the 1950s and 60s, Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell began surreptitiously to remove books from several Islington Libraries and to modify the cover art or the blurbs before returning them -- activities for which they were later convicted and incarcerated. In "Library Tolls and Database Animals," Melissa Hardie argues that "rather than simply disrupt the circulation of library books the men introduced queer objects to the library that facilitated and fostered new and more engaged understandings of the library’s collection of book objects." [25] The book covers (some of which can be viewed online) have since become a valued part of the Islington Local History Centre collection, with some exhibited in the Islington Museum. [26] Amidst debates about how the Orton archives should have been handled, literary critic Simon Shepherd credits librarian Eric Willats as having "the foresight to establish and mainstream an Orton archive before Orton became an industry." [27] [28]

21st century: library renovations and budget cuts

In adjusted 2010 pounds, the budget has shrunk by nearly 75%. Annual Islington libraries expenditure.png
In adjusted 2010 pounds, the budget has shrunk by nearly 75%.

In 2004, the N4 library opened, followed in 2008 by the reopening of the Lewis Carroll Children's Library in 2008. [29] [30]

Budget cuts in the 2010s led to expenditure cuts for libraries, [31] [32] which have yet to be reversed. As of 2023/2024, the total expenditure on the library service stood at a little under £3.9 million, a decrease from the nearly £6.8 million in 2010/2011, particularly when accounting for inflation. [23]

The North Library saw its opening hours drop by nearly 25%. Islington Libraries total annual opening hours, by year.png
The North Library saw its opening hours drop by nearly 25%.

Opening hours for a number of libraries were cut (with the exception of the Central, West and Finsbury libraries), and have yet to fully recover -- as of 2023/24 they were down 6% or around 1200 hours annually. [23] In 2011, partly to reduce costs, the system began to introduce automated terminals for book check-outs. [33]

In 2016, in partnership with the ALA, British Library and Free Word, Islington Libraries led the organization of Banned Books Week, for the first time in the UK. Then Islington council member Asima Shaikh noted that “Islington – one-time home of George Orwell, with its rich history of radical thought, creative expression, and innovation – is the perfect place to celebrate Banned Books Week." [34] Additional iterations took place in 2018, 2019 and 2021. [35] [36] [37]

In 2017, Islington opened the Cat and Mouse Library, which replaced the John Barnes library, and maintained the number of libraries in Islington -- bucking a national trend of library closures. [38] The Library was named after Cat and Mouse laws, and aims to recognize the sacrifices endured by Suffragettes imprisoned in Holloway Prison, which used to stand nearby. [39]

During the Covid-19 crisis, all libraries were closed to the public at various times, [40] with libraries later serving as vaccination centers. [41]

In 2023, Islington Council ended library fines in the name of access, and in the context of the "cost of living" crisis. [42] [43] In 2014/15 and 2015/16, around £60,000 had been charged in overdue fees. [44]

Potential developments

The development at Vorley Road, expected to start in 2027 and finish in 2029, would include the redevelopment of Archway library. [45]

Governance

Central Library, the main library for Islington Libraries Islington central library.jpg
Central Library, the main library for Islington Libraries

The Library Service is a part of the Directorate of Community Engagement and Wellbeing.

Within the Islington Council, libraries fall within the Equalities, Communities and Inclusion portfolio. As of 2025, Councillor Sheila Chapman (Labour Party, Junction Ward) is the Executive Member for this portfolio.

The Library Service is also overseen by the Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee. [46]

Services

Islington Libraries provides a wide array of services, including access to books, music, DVDs and other physical items; access to e-books, audiobooks and other digital media; as well as access to computers and the internet. Five of the libraries (Mildmay, North, West, Central and Finsbury) also offer toy libraries, where parents can borrow toys for their children. [47] [48] The service buys monthly selections of LGBTQ+ books from Gay's the word bookshop. [49] :77

They also provide dedicated reading lists on subjects and for specific communities. [50]

Islington Libraries runs a Home Library Service that can bring books, CDs and DVDs to residents in Islington who find it difficult to get to a library because of age, disability, or caring responsibilities. [51] The service is regular and free.

The library also organizes a number of events, ranging from reading and game sessions for children, to exercise and gadget support classes for adults. [52]

Library visits still have not recovered to pre-covid levels -- but are making progress in that direction Libraryvisits.png
Library visits still have not recovered to pre-covid levels -- but are making progress in that direction

In 2024-2025, the library registered 889,990 visits, a 6.5% increase on the previous year, with continued progress towards the pre-covid high of 1,076,355 in 2019-2020 (see figure). [53]

The library issued 530,267 items physically (+12%), and 325,833 items online (+4%). It had 23,472 active members (+5.7%). [53]

62,789 people attended events across the libraries (+9.7%), including 29,633 children. [53]

The borough's LGBT History Month programme is co-organised with Camden with events across both boroughs in February in many of the libraries. [54]

Islington Libraries uses the Library Management Cloud LMS. [55]

2024/25 most loaned out titles [56]
RankingTitleAuthorTotal issues
1Caledonian Road Andrew O'Hanagan 310
2 Intermezzo Sally Rooney 259
3 Butter Asako Yuzuki 232
4 Yellowface R.F. Kuang 197
5Long Island Colm ToÌbin 179
6 The bee sting Paul Murray 170
7 You Are Here David Nicholls 162
8No brainer Jeff Kinney 157
9 All fours Miranda July 154
10 Orbital Samantha Harvey 152

Branches

As of 2025, Islington operates a total of 10 public libraries, meaning that Islington had one library for every ±22,000 residents. [5]

North, West, Central and South Libraries

Extension of the North Library used as a hospital ward during World War I Hospital ward, World War I, Islington Public Library, London Wellcome L0035983.jpg
Extension of the North Library used as a hospital ward during World War I

The four historic libraries of Islington are Carnegie libraries, and Grade-II listed. [13] [15] [17] [18] They opened between 1906 and 1921.

Finsbury Library

Finsbury Library entrance Islington Museum and Finsbury Library - geograph.org.uk - 1311637.jpg
Finsbury Library entrance

Finsbury Library was originally supposed to be the central library for the borough of Finsbury, and was built as part of the redevelopment of the Skinners estate. [61] The building was designed by Ludwig Franck; it replaced the Clerkenwell Free Library (built in 1890), known as the "first modern library in Great Britain" for its use of open shelving in 1894. [62] [63] Following the merger of Finsbury into Islington, Finsbury Library ended up as a branch library -- but with significant capacity: it also houses the Islington Local History Centre, the Islington Museum, the Islington Computer Skills Centre and the area Housing Office.

Archway, Lewis Carroll, Mildmay, N4, Cat and Mouse Libraries

Coverage

Map of Islington libraries Islington library coverage osm.png
Map of Islington libraries
The library with the fewest members was the Lewis Carroll Children's Library. Islington Library Visits by Branch.png
The library with the fewest members was the Lewis Carroll Children's Library.

As of the 2021 Census, 97% of Islingtonian residents had a library within a 15-minute walk, the highest proportion in England and Wales (see map). All residents were within a 30-minute walk. According to the 2023-2024 Participation Survey, an estimated 33% of Islingtonians visited a public library in the last year (±5pp). [67]

In 2024/2025, library in the system with the most active members was the Central library with 5793 members, followed by the Archway and South Libraries (see figure). [56]

Awards

See also

References

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  2. 1 2 Gannon, Michelle (12 May 2025). "Libraries 2024-2025 Performance Report". Islington Council. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  3. "Population Report for Islington". Islington Council. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Islington Public Libraries". The Times . No. 38114. London, England. 1 September 1906. p. 6.
  5. 1 2 Grimond, Will (25 October 2024). "Islington best area in the country for library access". EC1 Echo.
  6. "Public Libraries and Museums -- Meeting at Islington". The Observer . 19 November 1855. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  7. "The proposed public library in Islington". John Bull . No. 1823. 17 November 1855. p. 736. GALE|DX1900595670.
  8. "Attempt to form a free public library in Islington". The Academy . 6 (133): 583. 28 November 1874 via ProQuest.
  9. Edwards, Passmore (12 August 1896). "Free Libraries for Islington". The Library . 1–8 (1): 412–413. doi:10.1093/library/s1-8.1.412.
  10. "Educational Notes". The Academy. 51 (1295): 185. 27 February 1897. ProQuest   1298664074 via ProQuest.
  11. "Carnegie gives £40,000". The New York Times . 8 October 1904. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
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  14. 1 2 "Barnsbury Local History Trail" (PDF). Islington Library and Cultural Services. 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  15. 1 2 3 Chandler, Julia (21 August 2016). "Islington West library". The Carnegie legacy in England and Wales. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
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  20. Brown, James Duff (1910). "A Librarian's visit to Belgium". Onze Stam. 1910.
  21. Notes of Books and Work, The Library, Volume s2-IX, Issue 34, April 1908, Pages 218–224, https://doi.org/10.1093/library/s2-IX.34.218
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