Journals & Periodicals

About the Collection

Gladstone’s Library holds a collection of 964 journal and periodical titles. The first periodicals were given to the library by our Founder, William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), through donation and bequest. Subscriptions for many titles on behalf of the library began in the 1890s and 1900s, such as the Journal of Theological Studies. As such, the library has complete or near-complete early runs of many leading journals of the era. We continue to subscribe to contemporary titles, principally in theology, such as the Anglican Theological Review, as well as those on literary and current affairs such as the London Review of Books.

Collection Strengths

The majority of our journal and periodical holdings are in our principal subjects of history (particularly of the nineteenth century), literature, theology, and religious studies. Many of our titles were also printed in the nineteenth century, and were amongst the most notable journals of the time, such as the Edinburgh Review, Macmillan’s Magazine, Punch, and the Strand Magazine.

Accessing the Collection 

In Person

Back issues of the majority of our journal and periodical holdings are held in the Annex, organised alphabetically by title. Latest issues of current academic and religious subscriptions are held on the journals cabinet in the Theology Room. Literary and current affairs periodicals are available in the History Room. Titles shelved in the ‘Annex Oversize’ collection are part of larger distinct collections such as the Moorman Franciscan Collection or the Richard L. Hills History of Technology Collection.

Online via MainCAT

To find information on our journals and periodicals holdings, try searching MainCAT, our online catalogue. 

To search only journals and periodicals, click on ‘advanced search’, then select ‘title’ from the drop-down list on the left-hand side. In the search box, type the title (or keywords from the title) of the journal or periodical you are looking for. In ‘media type’ on the right-hand side, select ‘journal’. Press ‘search’. Your results will now only contain this type of item. 

At present, Gladstone’s Library is not able to offer online subscription access to any journal and periodical titles.

Finding Aid

For a full list of titles as of summer 2019, please see the following finding aid here.

Titles in Restricted Areas

Some titles are currently held at our off-site store, the Stephen Gladstone Hall. These are listed as such on MainCAT. There are also a small number of periodical titles printed before 1800 held in Closed Access.

All titles in restricted areas can be requested in person or in advance by registered Readers or Residents only. For all information on accessing the Reading Rooms and our collections, see here. 

If you would like further information on our journals and periodicals collection, please contact us at [email protected].

(Updated October 2019)