Lambeth Palace Library

Last updated 24th March 2009 
Name of library Lambeth Palace Library 
Address London, SE1 7JU 
Telephone 020 7898 1400 
Fax 020 7928 7932 
E-mail lpl.staff@c-of-e.org.uk 
Website http://www.lambethpalacelibrary.org 
Alternative names  
Contact & Job Title Dr. R. J. Palmer, Librarian and Archivist (general enquiries) 
Purpose & main user community of the library Primarily academic research; also genealogists, local historians, and members of the public 
Terms of access (1) No appointment necessary; (2) Tickets issued on production of letter of introduction, proof of address, and two passport-size photographs; (3) Limited access tickets to modern printed materials and microforms, with proof of address and passport-size photos. 
Opening hours M-F 10.00-17.00, limited production 12.00-14.00, 10 days closure at Christmas and Easter. 
Disabled access Historic building; disabled access is possible, but please telephone in advance to discuss arrangements. 
Lending to other libraries & visitors Only by ILL on direct application (not via BLDSC) from academic libraries. See Above. 
Number of volumes 200,000 
Periodicals – Back Issues 1,000 sets (mostly incomplete), 130 current (not all theological). 
Current Periodicals 130 (not all theological) 
Other materials Over 4,000 mss., archives of the Province of Canterbury and other ecclesiastical archives, microform collections of Lambeth and other archives, estate maps, Church plans. 
Volumes added per year 2,000 (variable) 
Coverage Main emphasis on Ecclesiastical history of the Church of England, Church Fathers, Ecumenism, Liturgy; Other denominations, controversies also covered. Otherwise post-1945 theology not collected. Main strength Church history and history of theology C16-19. 
Special Collections Founding collections of Archbishops Whitgift, Bancroft and Abbot. Libraries of later archbishops, e.g. Seldon, Secker. Ca. 30,000 pre-1701 vols. London Dutch Church Library. Bishop Robinson’s Honest to God Collection. Liturgical collections (various). Sion College. 
Manuscripts 600 medieval mss.Tudor and Stuart collections: Bacon papers, Talbot papers, Carew mss., Fairhurst collection, etc. Papers of several churchmen, etc.: e.g. J. M. Neale, Headlam, Gladstone papers, Bishops of London, Official papers of Archbishops of Canterbury. Papers of Church societies: e.g. Church Union, Incorporated Church Building Society, etc. Archives of the Province of Canterbury, Estate Documents and temporalities of the Archbishopric, Commonwealth period, colonial church, etc. Library (pre-1850 books), etc.
Research resource  Anglican church history and liturgy; Colonial church and ecumenism; Ecclesiastical law; Ecclesiastical architecture and local history; Primary texts for Anglican theology; C16-19 history and controversies; Mss. from C9 with religious texts/content.
Catalogue Type  Computer, Card and Microfiche c.100 published and typescript catalogues
URL of catalogue  Via main library website: www.lambethpalacelibrary.org
Other facilities  Computer, card, microfiche, ca. 100 published and typescript lists and indexes for mss. and archives, printouts from microforms, printouts from databases (limited), digitised Church plans from ICBS, limited internet access.
Full Time Staff  12
Part Time Staff  3
Voluntary Staff  16
Changes in next five years affecting the above  Transference of manuscript and archive cataloguing to CALM database.
Anything else about the library Retrospective conversion of printed books catalogue completed in 2002. On-line access to all printed books record via Library website. Please consult the library’s website for further information on all holdings.