Sponsor a Seat or Dedicate a Desk
Make a lasting connection
Every day, our collection comes to life, right here in our Reading Rooms. A scientist has that lightbulb moment. A researcher makes a discovery that changes how we see the world. An entrepreneur takes the next step in their business journey.
Your support helps us open up our exceptional collection and share it with communities across the world. With your support, we can expand our digital collections. Undertake specialist conservation work. Improve our physical spaces. Develop our learning programmes for young people.
Make a lasting connection with the Library by adopting a book, sponsoring a seat or dedicating a desk in one of our Reading Rooms. Mark a special occasion, give a unique present or make a memory. Whichever you choose, you’ll be supporting vital work, sharing and securing our collection for future generations.
Sponsor a seat
Minimum donation £2,000
Dedicate a desk
Minimum donation £4,000
Sponsor a seat or dedicate a desk in a Reading Room of your choice. Your donation will be acknowledged with a brass plaque engraved with your own words and fixed to one of our iconic desks or our bespoke leather-seated oak chairs, designed by Miles Carter.
Your plaque will remain in place for 10 years and once in place you and your family and friends will be invited to view your plaque and have a private tour of the Library.
Please contact Rachael Garnett on +44 (0)20 7412 7301 or rachael.garnett@bl.uk if you would like more information.
To download our sponsor a seat or dedicate a desk brochure please follow the link here.
Desk and chair naming terms and conditions
1. Seat and desk sponsorship is for a period of 10 years from when your dedicated plaque is installed, after which your plaque may be removed. Adopt a Book sponsorship is for the lifetime of the conservation box.
2. Once the 10 year sponsorship period has ended, donors will be offered the opportunity to renew their donation and extend their sponsorship.
3. Sponsored seats and desks are not fixed in their location within a Reading Room and may be moved.
4. Plaques will display a maximum of four lines of engraved lettering. All wording is to be approved by the British Library before being installed.
5. Adopt a Book is subject to availability. If your preferred book is not available, we will work with you and our curators to find a suitable alternative.
6. Naming a seat or desk or adopting a book does not allow you to reserve preferred access to this space or item.
7. We will invite you to view your plaque once it has been installed. For subsequent visits, you must have a valid Reader Pass or be accompanied by a member of the Development team to enter a Reading Room.
8. Plaques are a standard specification and will be supplied by the British Library.
9. The British Library reserves the right to remove names in circumstances where, subsequent to the original agreement, information comes into the public domain which is to the reputational discredit of the donor, to such an extent that the Board judges that a continued association would cause reputational damage to the Library.
10. Acceptance of donations will be carried out in line with the British Library Ethical Policy for Fundraising.
11. In the case of significant changes being made to Reading Rooms, we will endeavour to contact donors and to offer an alternative placement for plaques where necessary.