Befriend a Book at Gladstone’s Library
What is it?
The Befriend a Book scheme at Gladstone’s Library gives you the chance to support the conservation of one of the UK’s most significant nineteenth-century collections. Based around the personal library of prime minister William Ewart Gladstone, our collection of books, manuscripts, images and illustrations was brought together in the 1880s. The average Gladstone book is 150 years old, so it is understandable that many books need a little TLC.
How can you help?
Donors can either select a specific title from our Books in Need Sponsorship Catalogue, or make a donation to the General Conservation Fund. Donations can be made in your name or in the name of a loved one. Donations can also be made by groups.
The cost of befriending a book in need depends on the level of conservation required and ranges from between £100-600. Full details are given in our list, which will soon be available to download here.
If you want to donate less than £100 (our minimum donation is £25), or there isn’t a specific title that you wish to sponsor, you can contribute to the General Conservation Fund. Donations to this fund supports the daily work of our volunteer Conservation Team as they clean, check and make minor repairs to books in need of extra care.
Whatever you’d like to give, you can start the process by emailing [email protected]
What does that fund?
Depending on the book that you choose from the Books in Need list (coming soon), your donation will help us have the book repaired by a qualified bookbinder. This includes repair to pages and bindings, replacement leather, or in some cases a resewn spine.
Donations to the General Conservation Fund helps to purchase equipment such as brushes, smoke sponges and other cleaning tools; buying a single brush costs the Library between £10-40, for example. It also helps to buy the equipment needed for stabilizing damaged books, such as acid-free card and tape. The conservation fund also supports conservation work in the Library’s extensive archives, where boxes, tape and acid-free files are all regularly used to stabilize items so that they can be viewed. Occasionally, the fund purchases advice and training from external consultants, helping to train the team in minor repairs; we also send some of the team on training courses from time to time.
What do you get?
All donors to Books in Need receive:
- An e-certificate in the name of your choice detailing the book you’ve chosen
- A chance to book a session with one of the Reading Room team, to visit your book and discuss the work that’s been done
- A note in the Library’s catalogue, marking you as the Friend of that book.
- A e-certificate in the name of your choice detailing your support of conservation work here at Gladstone’s Library
Why do you no longer offer bookplates?
You may have seen rebound books in the Library collections which note the benefactor’s name and date of rebinding. This sort of rebinding, where covers are entirely replaced and damaged material removed, is no longer best practice in historic collections; emphasis is now placed on retaining as much original material where possible, using conservation methods to stabilize the original item. It is also best practice to add as little as possible, hence no bookplates. If you have any questions, or are ready to donate, please email [email protected]. We recommend you put 'Befriend a Book' in the subject title.