London reading rooms open to non members

London's reading rooms sort themselves into two kinds: the ones you can walk into off the street, and the ones that want your name and a reason first. This list keeps both, but says which is which before you set out, along with what the door, the hours and the sockets actually do. Between them they cover a Sunday afternoon in Rotherhithe and a silent weekday in the City.

Places in this collection

  • Canada Water Library — The only room on this list open on a Sunday, from noon to 4pm, and it opens at 8am on weekdays. The inverted-pyramid building puts the quie…
  • Westminster Reference Library — A free public reference library a few minutes from Leicester Square, with no membership and no sign-in: the desks are for quiet study and t…
  • Guildhall Library — Free, no membership, open on weekdays only, which is the fact that catches people out at a weekend. It is a reference library specialising…
  • Barbican Library — No membership, no registration, no card: this is a City of London public lending library and you walk in. It sits on level 1 of the Barbica…
  • British Library — The Reading Rooms need a free Reader Pass, not a membership: registration asks for proof of identity and a stated reason to use the collect…
  • Canada Water Library — The one on this list that opens seven days and takes a buggy or a wheelchair without negotiation: step-free access, an accessible toilet an…
  • Westminster Reference Library — Free to walk into, and the only one of these with published hours that run to 20:00 on weekdays and 17:00 on Saturday, which makes it the f…
  • Guildhall Library — A free public reference library in the Square Mile, open weekdays and open to anyone, with no ticket or registration on the door. Reference…
  • Barbican Library — No membership, no reader pass, no fee: this is a City of London public lending library that anyone can walk into and use. It sits on level…

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