Becoming a Reader is free!
Why do our Readers keep coming back? Because they get more work done here than they do anywhere else.
Anyone is welcome to come and use the Reading Rooms for their reading, writing, revising, researching, and thinking. By joining the Library as a Reader, you gain access to over 150,000 collection items and become part of a rich community. Readers can use the Reading Rooms every day from 9am – 5pm.
If you wish to become a Reader, you don’t need to apply in advance. Just download a Reader form and bring it into the Library, or pop into the library to complete one. Please note you need to present the form in person and bring two forms of ID, one photographic (passport, driving licence, etc) and one as proof of address (household bill, bank statement, etc).
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We firmly believe that no-one should be prevented from using our collections, so it’s free to join as a Reader. But it costs £100,000 a month to run Gladstone’s Library, so we need to raise over one million pounds every year. The Reading Rooms, with their beautiful woodwork and historic collections, are a large part of our running costs.
Support our work with a voluntary donation.
We ask everyone applying to use the Reading Rooms to make a £10 voluntary donation to support our ongoing work. This not only covers the cost of your card but ensures that the collections and Reading Rooms remain accessible to future generations.
You may feel you can give more, and if so please do! If you’d like to support the Library on an ongoing basis, please see our Friends programme.
You can sign up for a Researcher day pass. These are completely free as long as you return them at the end of each day. You will need to fill in one of our Researcher forms and bring photographic ID and proof of address. Email [email protected] for more information.
16 and 17 year olds are welcome to use the Reading Rooms independently but from Monday 14th April 2025, a new way of signing up was introduced:
- When you come to join, please bring a parent or guardian with you.
- The person who is joining will complete a Reader form, and show two forms of ID.
- The parent or guardian will complete a supplementary form, and show two forms of ID.
- We ask for a piece of photographic ID that proves who you are, and a second form that proves your address. If you have a driving license, we can accept that for both photo and address.
- Please note that although we can accept e-originals (for example a statement from your banking app) we cannot accept photocopies or pictures of ID.
- Your Reader card is valid for one year. If you are still under 18 when the time comes to renew, you will need to bring your parent or guardian with you then. Once you’re over 18, you can renew by yourself.
If you’ve got any questions, please drop the Reading Room team a line on [email protected].
Simply email [email protected] to ask about our Young Researcher pass. This is for younger users who will be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. As part of the Library’s safeguarding commitments, we aren’t able to permit users under 16 to use the Reading Rooms unaccompanied.
If your Reader card has expired, and you would like to renew it, please ask at the Reading Rooms Enquiry Desk during staffed hours (9am – 5pm every day) where a member of the Reading Room team will be able to renew your card.
You will need to fill out a new Reader form so we can update our records – simply tick ‘renewal’ at the top. Please bring with you one form of ID with a photograph when renewing your card as well as a valid proof of address (e.g. a utility bill, bank statement, official correspondence). Electronic copies of proof of address are acceptable.
If you have lost your card, we are able to issue a replacement card to you for a £10 charge. Payment should be made in person, either by cash or card, and you’ll need to complete a new Reader form.