Work to reopen Lindley Library may take awhile
27 September 2011
Following the fire on 22 July in RHS Lindley Library, London's main stack room, the Library is closed to all visitors. Unfortunately it is likely to be several months before we get back to business as usual.
We are very glad to report that all our historical and art collections are safe, but, even though the fire was confined to a small area, it has caused smoke and soot deposits throughout the lower ground floor. We have arranged for all our research material to be cleaned by specialists. This is to prevent potential deterioration from the soot deposit and to make the materials fit for handling. The majority of this specialist work has to be carried out offsite. Our Reading Rooms are also being decontaminated.
At the same time an assessment of the lower ground floor and the stack area has shown that some structural and electrical repair work now needs to be carried out. All the rolling stacks and the ceiling are being dismantled to enable access for these repairs, which may take some time.
We are sorry to say that currently none of London’s research or art material is accessible. Although we do not expect to be able to re-open for several months, we do want to do all we can to support our readers, as we know many of you will have research or course deadlines of your own to meet.
The following services are currently in place:
- Lending Service via Lindley Library Wisley: From 20 September, we will begin making London’s lending collections available to users. Please contact us at library@rhs.org.uk or phone 01483 212428 (11am to 4pm daily). Material can be sent to Lindley Library Wisley for you to collect from there.
- Lending Service from Vincent Square: From 7 October library staff will be available on Tuesday and Friday from 2pm to 4.30pm for collection of pre-reserved material. We regret that there can be no access to the Library at these times. When you arrive, please ask reception staff to contact the Library.
- How to identify London lending stock: London lending material on the library catalogue www.rhs.org.uk/libraries is marked London Lending Stock Upper Reading Room. Books marked Stack, Lower Reading Room, Rare Books Room, or Pamphlet Collection are not accessible. Wisley lending material is still available as normal.
- Enquiry Service: London and Wisley Library staff are handling research enquiries, based at Lindley Library Wisley, except for enquiries requiring access to materials only held at London. Contact us at library@rhs.org.uk or phone 01483 212428 for further information.
- Research collections: Lindley Library Wisley has a good published research collection, including Gardeners’ Chronicle, and a large lending collection (open to all garden visitors 7 days a week 11am to 4pm). Plant monographs and science works are held in the Science Research Collections (open to members and the public by appointment Mon-Fri, telephone 01483 212428). Some materials may be made available at weekends in the Wisley Garden Library by prior arrangement.
- Image Request Service: For commercial or research image requests please contact images@rhs.org.uk until further notice.
- Lindley Library Wisley and the other Garden Libraries remain open as usual.
We apologise for this disruption to our services, but wish to thank all our readers for your understanding and support.
Updates will be given at www.rhs.org.uk/libraries