
Lambeth Palace Library
The National Library & Archive
of the Church of England
About

Our vision & mission, a brief history of the Library, and a tour of our new building.
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Services

Imaging Services, Exhibition Loans and self-service photography for the public, the National Church Institutions, and the wider Church.
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Collections Care

The new Collections Care studio is at the heart of the Library’s design and is central to its mission.
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Friends of the Library

The Friends of Lambeth Palace Library was founded in 1964 and provides invaluable assistance in the acquisition of rare materials and in conservation.
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DONATE TO THE LIBRARY
Help make the work of the library possible. Your generosity is vital in helping us to care for nationally significant collections, manuscripts and rare books. With your support the conservation, cataloguing, and digitisation of this important collection can continue to be undertaken, preserving the treasures of the past for future generations and ensuring they remain free and accessible to all.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE LIBRARY NEWSLETTER
Sign up below to find out all the latest news about Lambeth Palace Library. As well as the regular email newsletter we will send you updates about Library events and talks.

Events Calendar
Click on View Calendar for a list of all events or to see events by month.
Latest News
- Reading Room ClosuresPlease note that the reading room is closed on Wednesday 4 October (the exhibition is unaffected), and that due to a… Read more: Reading Room Closures
- Reformation Cardinal5th October – 15th December 2023 Born in 1500 into the highest circles of the English aristocracy, becoming both cardinal and… Read more: Reformation Cardinal
- Library closing time alteration 5 October onlyDue to a private event the Lambeth Palace Library reading room and Exhibitions will be closing at 17:00 on Thursday 5… Read more: Library closing time alteration 5 October only
- Moral and Material Decay: four centuries of the Court of ArchesLambeth Palace Library invites you to peer into the courtroom of the Province of Canterbury’s most senior ecclesiastical court. The records… Read more: Moral and Material Decay: four centuries of the Court of Arches
- Cantate Domino: Music in the Lambeth Palace Library collectionsThis inaugural exhibition for the Library’s new exhibition room celebrates musical treasures held in Lambeth Palace Library, placing better-known holdings alongside… Read more: Cantate Domino: Music in the Lambeth Palace Library collections
- Reading Room and Exhibition ClosurePlease note that the Reading Room is closed on Monday 1 May and Monday 8 May for the Bank Holidays and… Read more: Reading Room and Exhibition Closure
Join the Friends of the Library

The Friends of Lambeth Palace Library (registered charity no. 313023) was founded in 1964 to support the Library. It provides invaluable assistance in the acquisition of rare books and manuscripts and in the conservation of the collections, helping the Library to develop and flourish. Friends receive regular invitations to lectures, behind the scenes tours, exhibitions and events in the Library and Palace, amongst other benefits.

The Library Blog – A Monument of Fame
Our blog is so named because James I famously called Lambeth Palace Library “a monument of fame in my kingdom”. The blog contains posts about important books, manuscripts and archives from the collections and the stories behind them, as well as news about Library developments.