Bishopsgate Library, Research library in City of London, United Kingdom.
Bishopsgate Library is a research library in the City of London housed within the Bishopsgate Institute building. It holds documents, photographs, publications, maps, and diaries that document social movements and the lives of London residents across different periods.
The library was founded in 1895 and from the beginning focused on collecting materials about social movements and London residents' experiences. Over the decades, it expanded its archives to include marginalized communities and alternative cultural movements.
The library holds materials about everyday people and organizations who pushed for social, political, and cultural change in London. These collections reveal the stories of communities that rarely appear in mainstream historical records.
The Special Collections and Archives Research Area are open Monday through Friday, with extended hours available on Wednesdays. It is advisable to check hours in advance and book ahead if needed, as access to some materials may require prior arrangement.
The collection includes specialized archives such as the UK Leather and Fetish Archive, which documents alternative cultural movements and communities. This makes the library a rare place where the history of marginalized subcultures is systematically preserved.
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